Critics say Arizona redistricting plan would reduce minority representation
Mar 12, 2020, 12:20 PM | Updated: 1:08 pm
Arizona state Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai. (Screenshot/Arizona State Legislature)
(Screenshot/Arizona State Legislature)
PHOENIX — Critics argue that an Arizona Senate resolution to change how legislative districts are drawn would punish minority communities.
Currently, Arizona’s 30 districts can have variations of up to around 20,000 constituents.
Republican state Sen. J.D. Mesnard says his proposal, SCR 1018, would cap variations at 5,000 people.
Mesnard says his plan would make representation more fair.
“Some folks are wishing for the deck to be stacked differently,” he said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “I’ve heard the word ‘equity’ thrown out there.”
“If you’re in a district where they overpopulate, where they stack, those folks are underrepresented.”
State Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai, a Democrat from the Navajo Nation, said she opposes the change, “in order to protect minority voting rights under the Voting Rights Act.”
Peshlakai believes districts with more evened populations would reduce cultural representation of her people.
Other Democrats said the measure would make it harder to create legislative districts with a majority of Native American voters, which has helped ensure the Navajo Nation has representation in the Legislature.
“It is very very sad that the Native American people, the people of the first nations, the people that have been here since we were placed here by the holy people, would not have a voice in these chambers,” Peshlakai said.
The GOP-controlled Senate passed the resolution Tuesday. Sen. Kate Brophy McGee was the only Republican to join all Democrats in opposition.
If the Arizona House and governor approve, voters would settle the issue on a future ballot.
