EDITORIAL: Redistricting reform deserves Northwest Indiana Region support

We regularly hear a chorus of potential voters who claim they’re disenfranchised from the process — that their votes won’t count or voices will fall on deaf political ears.

Under that backdrop, our political system should be seeking out all possible means of engaging citizens in the election process. That’s why a recent vote of support by the Valparaiso City Council — and other communities in the state — deserve our attention.

Six members of the Valparaiso City Council voted last week to approve a resolution supporting redistricting reform.

The council made that move after hearing from Julia Vaughn, of Common Cause Indiana. During her presentation to the council, Vaughn noted the Indiana Legislature — the elected lawmakers themselves — redraw the state’s voting districts every 10 years.

It becomes an exercise of lawmakers drawing boundaries that best protect their own political fortunes, not the desire or ideological makeup of the voters themselves.

Vaughn, who works with city and town councils to pass redistricting reform, wants to see a California-style redistricting process take hold in the Hoosier state — one allowing committees of local citizens to redraw the districts.

We support this concept and praise Valparaiso for supporting it. Other Region cities and towns should follow suit.

Allowing citizens to apply to become redistricting committee members would create more skin in the election game for the populace. Any means to encourage responsible voter enfranchisement should be pursued.

And any process encouraging the shaping of districts by actual voter ideology, rather than political survival of career politicians, should be supported.

In addition to Valparaiso, the Hoosier municipalities of Michigan City, Anderson, West Lafayette, Lafayette and Vincennes have voiced similar backing for redistricting reform. Vaughn says Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Bloomington are considering support.

These resolutions send a clear message to the Hoosier Capitol: To be re-elected, lawmakers must remain relevant with voters rather than relying on favorably drawn map boundaries.