In municipal government, the needs of the community must come before party politics. The closer the government is to the people, the less partisanship matters. This is the spirit which was intended when I sponsored the ordinance for a citizen-led redistricting initiative in Valparaiso.
The amended ordinance, which was subsequently passed by the city council — no longer met that standard, so I voted against it.
Given this was such a high-profile initiative for me, and for the city, I am offering the public an explanation as to why, as the author of the original ordinance, I could not support the amended ordinance.
I voted ‘no’ on the amended ordinance because the amended path was foundationally different from the original which I sponsored.
The amended version introduced a membership requirement based on partisan politics. This, and several additional amendments, were initially offered anonymously and in isolation, with no opportunity for public review and input. An opportunity to empower the citizens of Valparaiso with authentic participation in the process which determines their representation was missed when the council ultimately decided the citizen commission needed to insert “guardrails” to do the right thing.
The message implied our citizens require a partisan babysitter — The public could not be trusted to make good decisions without the guidance of the major political parties.
This is just wrong.
The amended ordinance also has structural flaws: an even-numbered advisory commission risks deadlock, preventing the map from reaching the city council for consideration and approval. This amendment could more easily cause the commission to fail in its mission.
Despite the differences I have with the new ordinance, I celebrate Valparaiso’s codification of a citizen-led redistricting commission. The city is the fourth municipality in the state to form an advisory commission for redistricting. It is a historic accomplishment for Valparaiso and will serve to elevate the issue of redistricting along with the added benefit of increasing civic engagement. I am also proud of the work that I did on this initiative. It brought awareness to redistricting at a time when deeply partisan divides are prominently displayed in our state and the nation. I hope to participate in the development of Valparaiso’s commission by offering my experience and network to make the initiative successful.
I will also continue my work on advising local, regional, and national non-partisan redistricting reform. I strongly believe that the redistricting process belongs to the people, not to the politicians. I am convinced employing a non-partisan citizen-led approach will encourage greater voter participation as more people see a clear and non-partisan connection between themselves and those they elect to serve them. Our votes matter, not just for the high-profile issues, but for the foundational issues that more directly impact our daily lives. Good governance remains the goal!
Barbara Domer is a member of the Valparaiso City Council.
