Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita encourages Hoosiers to sign online petition to let their elected officials know they want a more fair redistricting process
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita continues his push urging effective redistricting reform by launching a new Facebook petition labeled, “I Support Rethinking Redistricting.”
“With just over one month left before Election Day, the time is now to let the candidates for the Indiana General Assembly know you support redistricting reform,” Secretary Rokita said. “We’re making it easier than ever to encourage a more fair and effective process with just the click of a button.”
Hoosiers are encouraged to sign the petition by clicking the “Like” button at the top of the “I Support Rethinking Redistricting” Facebook page.
Secretary Rokita recently wrote to each candidate running for the Indiana General Assembly to encourage them to make positive changes in the process of how the state redraws its legislative boundaries. Every 10 years, the process of redrawing precinct boundaries – known as redistricting – uses data from the U.S. Census Report. However, Indiana’s existing process allows politicians, who redraw the boundaries, to use political data in creating the new political lines.
“Allowing politicians to view your voting history in order to create legislative boundaries means our elected leaders are picking their voters,” Secretary Rokita said. “Developing a new process that puts people before politics will create more competitive districts requiring elected officials to pay more attention to the needs of their constituents rather than needs of their political parties.”
Secretary Rokita’s new Facebook petition becomes the next phase of a grassroots campaign he launched in September of 2009 which has garnered hundreds of followers on Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, through the website, http://www.rethinkingredistrcticing.com/, individuals have sent more than 1,360 e-mails to their legislators encouraging redistricting reform.
Hoosiers can visit, http://www.rethinkingredistricting.com/, to learn more about the secretary’s ideas on how Indiana can effectively reform redistricting.
###
Media contact: Jim Gavin, jgavin@sos.IN.gov, 317-233-8655
Stay Connected
