Author: krazen1211

Redistricting New Jersey by Commission

This is my first attempt at my home state. I grew up in the existing NJ-12 (Rush Holt’s district), and currently live in the existing NJ-3 (Jon Runyan’s to be district).

New Jersey’s current map is unfortunately a fractured mess.

I tried to do the following:

1. Maintain 1 Hispanic and 1 Black district.

2. Pair 1 incumbent from each side (in this case, Holt against Lance)

3. Maintain county boundaries better than the current map. I also attempted to maintain township borders.

The problem is Frank Pallone. He lives rather deep in Monmouth County (long branch, to be precise), and Monmouth is slowly treading Republican I believe. Chris Christie won 62% of the vote here last year. He also carries a lot of clout, so he’s not  getting tossed into the ring.

The second problem is Jon Runyan. I didn’t see any easy way to throw him into a tossup even if he should get it.

I think in an ideal world, I’d throw Bergen county into its own district. But that would likely cause more havoc than its worth.

I don’t think either side can complain too much with this map, but thoughts are appreciated.

So, let’s get to it.

CD-1: Rob Andrews (Haddon Heights)

Extends into Cherry Hill a bit. Not much else to say. Now contains almost all of Camden County. Democrat favored.

CD-2: Frank Lobiondo (Ventnor)

Extends into south Burlington County. Republican favored, though not by much. I think a Democrat can win this open seat.

CD-3: Jon Runyan (Mount Laurel)

Our former Philadelphia Eagle has to move to his vacation home. One of the Republican heads of the redistricting commission is from Ocean County. He gets an Ocean County based district with a bit of Monmouth County left. Republican favored.

CD-4: Chris Smith (Hamilton)

A bit ugly, but no moreso than his current district. Some new terrority that fits him reasonably well. Republican favored.

CD-5: Frank Pallone (Long Branch)

Gets a nice, safe district with Edison, Trenton, some other heavy Asian Mercer County towns, and his old areas where he lives. Democrat favored.

CD-6: Rush Holt (Hopewell) vs. Leonard Lance (Clifton)

Showdown. Contains all the Brunswicks and the homes of both incumbents. I really cannot tell you who wins this.

CD-7: Albio Sires (West New York)

52% Hispanic. Democrat favored.

CD-8: Rodney Frelinghuysen (Morristown)

Fully contains Morris County, and half of Somerset County. Republican favored.

CD-9: Donald Payne (Newark)

56% black. Democrat favored.

CD-10: Bill Pascrell (Paterson)

Passaic, Essex, Union counties. Democrat favored.

CD-11: Steve Rothman (Fair Lawn)

Passaic, Essex, Hudson counties. Democrat favored.

CD-12: Scott Garrett (Wantage)

Leftovers. Holds several full counties. Picks up needed population in Hunterdon county, otherwise the same. Republican favored.

Redistricting North Carolina

This is my first shot at this, so be gentle 🙂

Meant to create:

1 Heath Shuler: 11

4 blue districts: 1, 4, 7, 12

8 red districts: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13

http://img413.imageshack.us/im…

NC-1 (dark blue): Butterfield (D)

Obama 59%.

Mostly the same as before. The way I drew it, its only plurality black, not majority black. It could probably be tinkered with easily to be majority black though.

NC-2 (bright green): Ellmers (R)

McCain 55%

Loses Raleign and Chatham county, and most of Cumberland county. Picks up some nice R areas elsewhere.

NC-3 (purple): Jones (R)

McCain 58%

Pretty ugly. This was the leftover territory district for me.

NC-4 (red): Price (D)

Obama 72%

Congrats David Price. Obama vote dump. Loses carefully chosen sections of Chatham, Durham, Orange,and holds all of Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

NC-5 (yellow): Foxx (R)

McCain 55%

Absorbs a piece of Guilford county and the Greensboro area. Probably weaker than before.

NC-6 (olive green): Coble? (R)

McCain 55%

Not sure where Coble lives:

Covers most of Davidson, Rowan, Cabarrus, a bit of the Charlotte suburbs, and another piece of Guilford county.

NC-7 (grey): McIntyre (D)

Obama 58%

Another Democratic voting dump. Retains a piece of New Hanover and keeps Fayetville. All these counties voted for Elaine Marshall over Burr for Senate this year.

With a bit of fancier line drawing this can probably hit 60% Obama easily.

NC-8 (purple): Coble (R)

McCain 55%

See 6.

Yields territory to the new 6th and grabs Chatham and a piece of Wake County. Less Repbulican than before. Either 6 or 8 gets a new Republican.

NC-9 (teal): Mynick (R)

McCain 55%

Mostly unchanged.

NC-10 (pink): McHenry (R)

McCain 58%

Absorbs half of Buncombe. Picks up some of the 5ths territory.

NC-11 (bright green): Shuler (D)

McCain 56%

Breaks Buncombe in 2. Grabs some territory from the 5th and 10th. Shuler can win this anyway, though. A future Democrat probably can’t.

NC-12 (pale blue): Watt (D)

Obama 68%

Mostly unchanged. Picks up some more Dem territory at both ends, but maintains the general 2 city and corridor structure. Almost certianly less than 50% white at this point.

A professional could probably hit 70% Obama with this, and shore up the new 6th.

NC-13 (tan): Miller (D)

McCain 55%

Loses most of Raleigh and Greensboro. Grabs all of Alamance county and some areas from the old 2nd.

Designed to knock off Brad Miller.