The University is participating in a state-wide competition in which students may submit proposals for redistricting, the process of redrawing the political boundaries for the Congressional, House of Delegates and state Senate districts. Redistricting occurs every 10 years following a census report to ensure the number of residents is equal in every district. State legislators already have begun the process for the next map.
About 150 students are taking part in the competition from 13 campuses in Virginia, with professors serving as team leaders. Nineteen University students are competing for two teams.
Quentin Kidd, associate professor of political science at Christopher Newport University, organized the competition with Michael McDonald, associate professor of the department of public and international affairs at George Mason University. Kidd said the competition is the first of its kind and was designed primarily as an educational exercise.
This year, the data from the Census Bureau is open to the public, thus allowing students to participate in the process. This collaborative competition is run primarily by the Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport, McDonald said. George Mason is supporting this effort with software developed by the Public Mapping Project, which is a nation-wide effort.
"Typically what happens during redistricting is that it is a very closed process, and only the political parties have the data and software to draw the legislature plans," McDonald said. Kidd said redistricting's main problem is that it is conducted by the General Assembly, which "essentially chooses who their voters will be, and that doesn't seem right."
McDonald said in the past this process has led to gerrymandering, a tactic used by parties or incumbents to redraw the districts to "help their political fortunes rather than in the interest of the public."
The redistricting process always has been used to "suppress or exploit particular votes," said Chris Gist, geographic information systems specialist at the University. "The process we have here actually has to be reviewed with the Department of Justice because of problems we've had in the past."
Gist said he believes involvement in the process can help students understand the criteria for redistricting and that there are multiple solutions to the problem. He added he hopes this competition will make the potential for gerrymandering clear to the public.
"Having students actually doing the kind of work in this redistricting process gives them insight to not only how it's done but how things can be manipulated," he said.\nMcDonald said he expects to see significant differences in the proposals submitted by students than from those proposed by state legislators. "We've never had this comparison in the past, so here's an opportunity to demonstrate that there are different ways of redistricting," he said.
Kidd said he hopes this competition will demonstrate that redistricting can be completed by disinterested voters.
"I see no legitimate reason why elected officials should be involved in redistricting in the future," he said. "Voters should choose their representatives rather than representatives choosing who their voters should be."
Gist said he would be pleased to see one of the student-submitted solutions selected by the redistricting committee.
The University students will present their proposals to Charles Kromkowski, social sciences data librarian and visiting lecturer in the politics department, today at 7:30 p.m.. The final submissions are due March 10 and will be judged by Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution and Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. The team judged to have the first place House of Delegates district map will be awarded $2,000, the first place Senate district map will be awarded $1,500 and $1,000 will go to the team with the first place congressional district map. Top proposals will also be submitted to Gov. Bob McDonnell's Independent Bipartisan Advisory Commission on Redistricting.
Read More
U.Va. researchers identify that HIV drugs can protect against Alzheimer’s disease
By Lauren Seeliger | 2 days agoDoctor Jayakrishna Ambati and his research team have begun work on a new drug called K9 which could treat and prevent Alzheimer’s.
Graduating students share their future plans as they enter the job market
By Nina Broderick | 3 days agoMany students find the Career Center to be a valuable tool during the job search and application process.
U.Va.’s Finals Weekend spotlights the achievement and service of the Class of 2025
By Leigh Bailey | 5 days agoIn University President Jim Ryan’s welcome address, he acknowledged the support of family members and friends present in the audience and beyond that played supportive roles in these graduates’ lives.
