Letter: NH needs a fair and transparent redistricting process

Sept. 3 – To the Editor:

Dear members of the NH House Redistricting Committee,

Thank you for accepting the task of serving on the NH House Redistricting Committee.  I appreciate the enormity of creating fair, nonpartisan voting districts.

My town was one of the 74 towns that endorsed a resolution requesting a redistricting process that would be transparent, invite stakeholder input, and produce voting maps giving each voter an equal weight. 

This year’s redistricting process is sure to have a great deal of public scrutiny – with voting rights a key issue in the news, and the exemplary model of the 2020 Emergency Election Select Committee -- which did accept input, acted with transparency, and did not give weight to partisan concerns.  NH citizens are now much more educated about voting issues, redistricting, and gerrymandering.

Everyone recognizes the snake-like District 2 (for the Executive Council) as a visible example of gerrymandering.  Not so visible, but certainly insidious:  in the 2011 redistricting process, 62 of the 152 towns eligible for their own House district did not get one!  I think if 41% of our towns were cheated in this way today, they would not let the matter rest.  We all want our towns to have the representation the NH Constitution promises them.

Thank you again for the time and effort you dedicate to New Hampshire.  You will have us all watching you as you assume this great task – but you will also win our very great appreciation for a fair, transparent redistricting process. 

Susan Richman

Durham