Judith Ackerson: Fair, nonpartisan redistricting is possible without gerrymandering

To The Daily Sun,

I had the opportunity to attend the public input session of the Special Committee on Redistricting on Sept. 14. Each and every speaker asked for a fair, nonpartisan and transparent process.

Among the speakers was David Andrews, an engineer and volunteer with the Map-a-Thon Citizen Mapping project, a group of over 200 Granite Staters which is drawing alternative fair voting maps for the state. This group has been able to demonstrate how, using proper fair mapping practices, the maps can be fair and competitive for all parties and all voters — and stop the partisan gerrymandering manipulation which has plagued our state the last two decades.

Using “Communities of Interest,” ties that bind communities together like school districts and shared services, the Map-a-Thon team shows it is possible to greatly reduce the need to break up communities in congressional, executive council and NH Senate maps, AND allow for more eligible towns to have their own state House districts. This can only be a good thing for the voters of New Hampshire.

I am proud of my community of Franklin’s City Council for having signed (along with 73 other communities) a “NH Resolution for Fair, Nonpartisan Redistricting” last spring. Members of the Special Committee on Redistricting, you’ve heard the call of the voters in the NH Resolution, from the public in the hearing, and through many cards, letters, emails and calls. The voters have given you a roadmap to fair redistricting to follow.

Judith Ackerson

Franklin