Announcement from the League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County:
Join us in walking the gerrymandered line dividing District 10 & 11 in West Asheville.
Show your support for a NON-PARTISAN redistricting committee!
When : November 4, 2017
Time : 1pm-3pm
Where : West Asheville along Districts 10 & 11
Start @ Admiral Parking Lot
End @ The WALKInterested in sponsoring this event? See our Sponsorship Packet for details!
What Is Gerrymandering?
Dividing a territorial unit into election districts to give one political party an electoral majority in a large number of districts while concentrating the opposition in as few districts as possible. Gerrymandering is legal; however, racial and extreme partisan gerrymandering are not. The NC state legislature is responsible for drawing district maps after every census and it is customary that the party in power draws map boundaries in order to benefit themselves. New software map-drawing and data-driven voter analysis methods have created “gerrymandering on steroids,” enabling the party in charge to pinpoint and isolate opposition voters.
Current Congressional Districts
Below is an image of the current Congressional Districts in Western North Carolina, and how it is drawn through Asheville.
The route to be taken will follow the district line itself!
Why Care?
Gerrymandering greatly reduces officeholder accountability to the voters because they are in safe districts. 40% of the 2016 state legislative races had NO OPPOSITION in the general election. It means voters do not have a real choice, so politicians don’t have to compete for their votes. Competition is absolutely essential for democracy and gerrymandering is a prime suspect in the cause of political/electoral gridlock. It eliminates moderate ideology, and can facilitate extreme agendas–the passing of House Bill 2 is just one example of this.
What Can I Do About It?
Walk with us! The Gerrymander 5k is a walk/run designed to educate the public on gerrymandering, protest the abuse of it, draw national attention, and advocate for a non-partisan redistricting committee. Visit this page and check the regularly emailed newsletters for updates!
The League of Women Voters has filed 5 lawsuits since the NC legislature redrew the districts in 2011 and SCOTUS has affirmed that NC districts have been racially gerrymandered. It is time for a change!
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