All Indiana House districts should reflect state's Republican lean | Opinion

In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court in Baker v. Carr upended the way in which states apportion state legislative districts by declaring a simple truth: Every citizen’s vote should count in the same way. This decision opened the door to the “one person, one vote” principle that became a cornerstone of American democracy. It’s an idea born of fairness and equality, values that Hoosiers hold dear.

But today, Indiana’s political maps fall short of that promise. Indiana’s districts are drawn by politicians who, in effect, pick their voters before voters ever get the chance to pick them. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work.

When maps are drawn to make some seats “safe” and others more competitive, the relative power of voters is distorted. A few voices are amplified by the powerful while other voices are effectively silenced. The legislature too often protects incumbents, punishes challengers and denies voters meaningful choices. The Indiana General Assembly and the Senate have historically given some Hoosier voters more weight simply because of where they live. That’s not equality; that’s political engineering.

An equality-based voting system means that each district in Indiana would be a smaller reflection of the entire state. There would not be any specially carved out districts to benefit any interest group, any location or any incumbent. We would all play by the same rules, regardless of ZIP code.

The current system across the nation is badly out of balance. Gerrymandering, by both parties, has warped representation. Nationally, Republicans would hold significantly more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives if all congressional districts reflected the overall partisan vote within each state, but current maps create different outcomes.

That mismatch isn’t democracy in action; it’s the legacy of maps drawn to entrench power. It’s the result of maps drawn that have historically benefited Democrats, who ironically now decry efforts to fix their own prior manipulation as gerrymandering.

Thanks to Gov. Mike Braun and the calling of a special session, Indiana has the opportunity to set a different example. By redrawing all of our districts to reflect the true makeup of our state, we can make sure every Hoosier’s vote counts equally.

This isn’t about helping one party over another. It’s about restoring trust in a system that belongs to all of us. It’s about making sure every voice, from South Bend to Evansville, from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis, carries the same weight at the ballot box.

Fair maps mean fair elections. They mean accountability. They mean politicians have to earn every vote, every time. Hoosiers believe in fairness and common sense. It’s time our elections lived up to that same principle.

Let’s make Indiana the leader in fair redistricting. It is time to honor the principle of “one person, one vote” and ensure that every voter, regardless of county, township, or precinct, has an equal voice as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Martin J. Sweet teaches political science at Purdue University.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: All Indiana House districts should reflect state’s Republican lean | Opinion

Reporting by Martin J. Sweet / Indianapolis Star

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