Here are links to a few good, recent pieces:
Billy Penn
Technical.ly Philly
The Daily Pennsylvanian
Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
Now, for the news from around these United States, where the citizen push for meaningful redistricting reform shows no signs of abating:
Kansas City Star
In Missouri, a comprehensive political reform proposal called One Missouri, which includes a redistricting reform, is back on the November ballot. A state appeals court overruled a lower-court judge who had knocked the question off the ballot.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The next time you hear someone rail against the idea of “unqualified people” drawing election maps, remember this story on redistricting in Virginia. It all-too-typical partisan wrangling in a statehouse, full of empty charges and countercharges. Would ordinary citizens really be any worse at this task that the usual suspects already are?
Roanoke.com
lso from Virginia, a bipartisan citizen committee, which includes some political heavyweights, is drafting a constitutional amendment to change the redistricting process.
Detroit News
This story from Michigan has a somewhat refreshing man-bites-dog quality. Former Michigan lawmakers, including some who were knee-deep in the notorious 2011 gerrymander of their state, say they support the ballot referendum to change the current system, which they concede is totally broken.
Independent Voter Network
Also from Michigan, if you were wondering how young activist Katie Fahey was able to come out of nowhere to drive a redistricting reform initiative onto the state ballot and become one of the nation’s leading anti-gerrymandering figures, check out this short story. Fahey knows how to attract the news media and capture the imagination of a short-attention-span society.
