Republican politicians in Kansas advanced their newly drawn congressional map last week. The map they are moving forward with is an egregious partisan gerrymander that was drawn solely to benefit the allies of the politicians who created the map and ignored the voices of Kansas voters who turned out to public comment sessions urging for fair, nonpartisan maps.
Specifically, this map intentionally splits the Kansas City metropolitan area with the purpose of diluting the voices of people of color. Kansas City is the most diverse region of the state, and splitting it up to combine it with rural areas of the states undermines the vote of people in Kansas City and denies them the fair and equal representation they deserve.
“The map that self-serving politicians in Kansas are advancing is an insulting partisan power grab designed to silence the voices of minority voters in Kansas City and gain more political power in Washington,” said End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “To ensure every Kansan has a fair shot at electing officials who will accurately represent them and their community, the legislature must move forward with a fair map drawn in a nonpartisan way that reflects the will of the people.”
The GOP-led state Senate gave Kansans less than 24 hours to submit any input on the map. The legislature should give an opportunity for additional public input before passing a map that will set up the congressional districts for the next 10 years. Kansas voters have a right to be heard and fairly and equally represented.
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