Mediaboss Marketing

Redistricting its a big yawner for most people. Yet some politicians become experts on the ins and outs of redistricting, using it to partisan advantage. As in many things, Republicans are better at this than Democrats.

In fact, Eric Holder chairs a national committee to improve Democratic skills in redistricting. (Its called gerrymandering when the other side does it.)

The Associated Press, in a recent analysis, said Republican politicians used 2010 census data to draw voting districts that gave them a greater political advantage in more states than either party had in the past 50 years. The analysis shows state after state where Democrats won statewide (governor or U.S. Senator) but lost the Congressional delegation and/or state legislative control because of redistricting.

Jim Cooper

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) can lose his seat in 2022 after the General Assembly draws new Congressional districts. They can simply carve Nashville/Davidson County into 3 or 4 wedges that extend into adjacent, Republican districts.

In my lifetime, the states Congressional ratio was 7-2 Democratic until Bill Brock grabbed District 3 around Chattanooga in 1962. Now the ratio is 7-2 Republican. And after the GOP whacks up Jim Coopers district, that ratio could drop to 8-1.

Closer to home, the Knox County Commission will vote this month and next to redraw the district lines for itself and the school board. A committee is at work. With 9 commission districts and a population of 477,857, the ideal district would have 53,095 residents. Current districts range from Terry Hills District 6 (61,300) to Dr. Dasha Lundys District 1 and Carson Daileys District 9, each with about 49,300 residents.

Kudos to the technical staff that designed this website. Its awesome. It maps the current districts and each of 7 proposals. Four have been withdrawn and three are pending: Plan 3B, proposed by committee chair Kyle Ward, was adopted by the committee on Wednesday (10/6). Another plan is proposed by school board chair Kristi Kristy and another by Commissioners Courtney Durrett and Lundy.

Wards plan has the most upheaval, moving 42,500 people to a different district. The others move around 30,000 people. All three move the East Knox County precincts of Ramsey and Riverdale from District 8 to District 9.

In Wards plan, District 3 (Randy Smith) would give up wards in the Norwood area and pick up Ball Camp from Hill. The Norwood area wards would go to District 2 (Durrett) and she would give up Shannondale County (74th precinct) and Holston Hills (ward 31) to District 8 (Beeler).

At this point, give Wards plan (3B) the best chance of passing. The plans must pass the full commission on two readings.

Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today.

More:
Winners and losers in redistricting - Knox TN Today