Gerrymandering ~ North Carolina political blue is deliberately repressed

Echo opinion letter published in the Raleigh Durham News and Observer newspaper, in North Carolina.

Democrats must be 53 percent of the vote to overcome the impact of Republican gerrymandering in North Carolina.

Gerrymandering supreses political representation

Much has been said in the media recently about the Democratic “blue wave” – the energy and activism of Democrats and recent victories in special elections around the country – and the projected effect of the wave on the midterm elections in November. But just as seawalls are built to reflect ocean waves and protect the property behind them, legislative and congressional districts are gerrymandered to protect the ruling party from waves – blue or red.

The New York University Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice just released a report, Extreme Gerrymandering & the 2018 Midterm. It shows how difficult it will be for the Democratic blue wave to overcome the gerrymandered “seawall”. 

In North Carolina in 2016 with 47 percent of the vote, the Democrats were able to win only 3 of our 13 congressional seats. The report estimates that to win just one additional seat in November, the Democratic vote would have to be 53 percent – quite a stretch. Similarly, the gerrymandered seawall erected by Democrats in Maryland will provide protection and prevent Republicans from being fairly represented there.

Until gerrymandering is ended, no North Carolinian will ever be fairly represented in our General Assembly or in the U.S. House.

Larry D. King, Board Member of Common Cause, NC