Redistricting is a HUGE deal. Texas needs your help.
The Dems are pouring into the redistricting hearings! We must show up and speak up! The following are some suggested strategies. We have also included procedural norms and other pertinent information. If you aren’t comfortable testifying, at least show up and support with numbers. Thanks for all you do!
It goes without saying that not everyone has the same challenges, issues or desires. The points below can be restated to fit your situation.
Talking Points for Redistricting Hearings
1. Any new map should fairly represent the voting patterns of Texas.
Texas is expected to receive three to four new Congressional Districts. Allocating these all to Democratic seats on the basis of race is neither Constitutional nor representative of the voting patterns of Texans.
2. In general, districts should reflect commuting patterns.
Transportation funding in particular is greatly impacted by which Congressional district a person lives in. For instance if persons living in Washington County (Brenham), commute to Houston along 290, a district along 290 linking that rural county to suburban and urban jobs in Houston would be appropriate. The same holds for Dallas and Tarrant where a number of persons enjoy residential lives in rural communities while commuting into urban cores via I-35 and I-40.
3. It is important for legislators to take into consideration future suburban growth when drawing the maps so as to avoid the disproportionate representation that we experience at the end of the ten year cycle.
For example, the House districts in suburban DFW and Harris County are over populated now; where discretion on population is allowed, such as Senate and State House Districts, these urban and suburban districts should be underpopulated in proportion to the median population to account for increased growth expected during the decade.
4. Communities of interest should be respected.
Generally, bridges between urban areas should be avoided. Districts should be as compact as possible. To the extent possible, each of the top urban counties should have its own district, irrespective of racial or other impermissible factors.
Upcoming Redistricting Hearings
10/9/2019 4pm-Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus – Action Suites on the 4th floor of main building located at 300 Trinity Campus Circle, Fort Worth, TX 76102
10/10/2019 4pm-Dallas City Hall, Council Chamber on the 6th floor located at 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas, TX 75201
10/22/2019 3pm-Lone Star College-North Harris, Student Services Building Conference Center in Room 208 located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, Texas 77073
10/23/2019 11:30am-Texas Southern University, Roderick R. Paige School of Education, Education Auditorium, located at 3100 Cleburne St, Houston, TX 77004
It is suggested that attendees arrive around 30 minutes early if possible. Anyone who is going to testify will fill out some paperwork (similar to what they do on the Kiosk in Austin, but this is hardcopy). They generally take people testifying in the order that they fill out the paperwork. They do try and accommodate those who have to leave first. Anyone willing to testify should limit their remarks to 2-3 minutes.It is good to have people in the audience just listening. It lets the committee know that people are watching the proceedings. The hearings provide an opportunity for citizens to present relevant testimony concerning local preferences, communities of interest, local voting patterns, and other issues that the legislature may consider when redrawing district lines. The hearings also promote public awareness of the legislative redistricting process