Pulling Back the Curtain on Redistricting
By Michael McDonald and Micah Altman
Washington Post 
July 9, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804270.html

Every 10 years -- unfortunately, sometimes more
frequently -- legislative district lines are redrawn to
balance population for demographic changes revealed by
the census. What goes on is much more than a simple
technical adjustment of boundaries, with ramifications
that largely escape public notice.

. . .

In the coming year, however, technological advancements
will enable anyone with a Web browser and an interest in
how he or she is represented to draw district maps of
his or her community and state that meet the same
requirements as official submissions. Under the
direction of scholars at the Brookings Institution and
the American Enterprise Institute, and with consultation
from an array of experts in redistricting issues, we
have developed a set of principles for transparency and
public participation. These principles have been
endorsed by an array of stakeholders, including Common
Cause and the League of Women Voters of the United
States.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804270.html

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