Redistricting in America

On January 17th, Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) officially approved the state’s new Congressional districts.  The vote was a major milestone in this year’s particularly tumultuous redistricting process.  The Commission split along party lines, with the two Democratic members supporting the redistricting plan and the two Republican members opposing it.  Independent Chairwoman Colleen Mathis cast her swing vote in favor of the plan, making the final vote 3-2.

Republican Governor Jan Brewer interrupted the process in late October when she impeached Chairwoman Mathis.  Governor Brewer cited “gross misconduct” and violations of the state’s Open Meeting Law as grounds for removing Mathis.  On November 1, the State Senate voted 21-6 to remove Mathis.  Mathis sued, however, and the Arizona Supreme Court overturned the removal order on November 17.  The Court gave no official reason for reinstating Mathis, but Vice Chief Justice Andrew Hurwitz later stated that the Governor had failed to prove her allegations against Mathis. 

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On Tuesday, the majority-Republican Arizona State Senate voted to impeach the chair of the state's Independent Redistricting Commission, Colleen Mathis. Republicans have accused Mathis, who is a registered independent, of being overly partisan and too secretive about the Commission's business. The party-line vote was 21-6 to impeach Mathis, the sole independent on the Commission.

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Arizona’s dynamic redistricting process experienced several developments this week. On Wednesday, October 26th, Governor Jan Brewer threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against members of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) in a letter to Chairwoman Colleen Mathis. She gave the commissioners until Monday to respond to a litany of complaints and unless she is satisfied with their response, plans to begin the impeachment process next week.

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Arizona's redistricting commission meets for the first time later this month as it reconstitutes itself to start the process of drawing new congressional and legislative districts for use in the coming decade.

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The Hopi reservation sticks out like a sore thumb on the state’s congressional map. Instead of being in the same district as the larger Navajo Nation, which surrounds it, the Hopi land is connected by...

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