A Yale law school student proposes an idea called The OpenRedistricting Project that I suspect may be near and dear to the hearts of many SSP readers:
The OpenRedistricting Project has two separate, but interdependent, components. The development of user-friendly, free redistricting software is a necessary step for bringing ordinary citizens into the process. Once that is completed, a social networking site dedicated to monitoring the 2010 redistricting cycle should be created. With these new platforms, the netroots will have a seat at the redistricting table.
The post goes on to explain the concept in much greater detail.
Just the possibility of getting free redistriciting software makes me fully supportive of the idea. But the potential to create public awareness and public pressure for better redistricting seems to have real promise for making a difference. I’m not sure if there’s anything that can be done at the moment to move the ball forward on this idea, but just wanted to bring this to the attention of SSP readers.
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If people are easily able to draw their own maps, they will quickly realize that there is no such thing as neutral redistricting. There are always winners and losers under any plan.
Also, it would be awesome to have a free Maptitude.
I’m in!
Bypassing hours and hours of data mining to concentrate on the actual process of redistricting? I and the free time I will save are in!
What the subjectline says. It might just be me, but this seems like the perfect candidate for those netroots scholarships that DailyKos started.