a Campaign of Citizens Unionand the League of Women Voters of New York State

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• Every 10 years (at least), after the census

• Congress, state legislature, many local legislatures

• Sorts voters into groups, distributes political power

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Brennan Center For Justice. (2010). National Overview of Redistricting: Who draws the lines? http://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/national-overview-redistricting-who-draws-lines

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• Allows voters to choose their politicians, instead of politicians choosing their voters

• Encourages challenges to incumbents

• Protects minority voters

• Keeps communities together

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• Lines drawn to benefit one party or politician

• Unequal population undermines concept of “One Person, One Vote”

• Maintains political status quo

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• For more than 50 years, legislators have controlled the redistricting process, drawing district lines that eliminate fair, competitive elections.

• The majorities in power have dominated the process, using tools of gerrymandering to minimize the political power of certain communities.

• Gerrymandering has resulted in Upstate New York being underrepresented in the State Assembly, and Downstate New York being underrepresented in the State Senate.

• No competition at the polls: 85% of incumbents were uncontested in the 2014 primaries

• 97% re-election rate for incumbents in 2012

• NY is 47th in the nation in turnout of eligible voters

• No accountability

• Culture of corruption: 28 legislators forced from office since 2000, and two more indicted

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How did it happen?◦ Legislature passed a bill to reform how legislative and congressional

districts are drawn in New York State through a proposed amendment

to the state constitution

What is the next step?◦ Proposition 1 must be approved by voters on November 4, 2014, to

take effect. It is on the back of the ballot.

What will happen if it doesn’t pass?◦ The old, rigged redistricting process will stay in place.

If we don’t act, we may never have a chance to take power back.7www.voteyesforprogress.org

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VOTE YES FOR PROGRESSwww.voteyesforprogress.org

Proposition 1 puts power back in the hands of New Yorkers, giving us new power to hold legislators accountable:

• CURBS THE POWER OF STATE LEGISLATORS TO DRAW THEIR OWN LINES

• ESTABLISHES NEW RULES THAT REMOVE PARTISANSHIP & ENSURE

IMPARTIALITY

• CREATES A FAIR AND PUBLIC PROCESS

STATUS QUO:

Legislative Task Force for Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR)

UNDER PROPOSITION 1:

Redistricting Commission

6 Members: 2 from Senate Majority Party

1 from Senate Minority Party

2 from Assembly Majority Party

1 from Assembly Minority Party

By law 4 of the 6 members of LATFOR are Legislators

10 Members: Each of the 4 legislative leaders

appoints 2 major party members

2 additional members not Republicans or Democrats

0 of the 10 Commission members are Legislators

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Legislators and their staff

Statewide elected officials

Members of Congress

Spouses of the above groups

Lobbyists

State officers or employees

Political party chairs

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The Board of Elections does NOT have:

◦ Unaffiliated or third-party members

◦ Supermajority votes

◦ Extensive prohibitions on who can serve

The Commission is politically balanced and will encourage cooperation and collaboration

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Bans “partisan gerrymandering” by requiring that districts not be drawn to favor or disfavor any incumbents, candidates or parties or to discourage competition

Requires maps preserve communities of interest and protect minority groups by codifying national Voting Rights Act language in the state constitution

Preventing drastic and arbitrary changes to districts. If districts are not nearly equal in population, a written explanation from the Commission must accompany the plan.

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• Plans approved by the 10-member commission need a supermajority of seven members vote in favor, ensuring balance and cooperation.

• If one party controls both houses, approval requires a 2/3 vote in each house, protecting against one-party dominance.

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Proposition 1 strips legislators of their unchecked power to draw their own district lines by establishing a politically balanced commission.

If the legislature TWICE fails to approve the commission’s plan, it can’t just start over. It must work from the commission’s plan and comply with the new rules and standards in the state constitution, and no one district’s population can be changed by more than 2%.

LATFOR consists of legislators and is controlled by the leadership = legislators drawing their own lines

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The amendment requires 12 hearings across the state, which ensures public input in line-drawing

It requires that maps, data and software be made available to the public, enabling the public to draw alternative lines.

Under the current process, there are no requirements for hearings, maps or data to be provided to the public

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The ban on partisan gerrymandering only exists in 4 states, including Florida, where voters successfully sued

NYS voters cannot achieve reform through voter initiated referenda, like California

Most states leave redistricting completely in the hands of the legislature

Even in Iowa, where a nonpartisan agency has been a model for redistricting reform, the legislature has final sign-off of the lines

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A Rare Opportunity to fix an entrenched, broken redistricting system

Curb the Power of State Legislators to draw their own lines

Ban partisan gerrymandering by outlawing legislative maps drawn for political advantage and give New Yorkers new power to hold legislators accountable.

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Establishes New Rules that Remove Partisanship and Ensure Impartiality

Creates a Fair and Public Process

If we don’t act, we may never have a chance to take power back.

Vote Yes For Progress

And A Fair Redistricting Process

www.voteyesforprogress.org

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