Austin News

Common Cause, an organization focused on combating gerrymandering, has released a report evaluating the 2020 redistricting process across all 50 states. The report assesses public access, outreach, and education based on over 120 surveys and more than 60 interviews.

In Texas, local redistricting received a "C-" grade while state-level redistricting was given a "D-". The report cites issues such as lack of language accessibility, transparency, and insufficient public outreach. Despite high turnout at events, the Texas legislature often held meetings with less than 24 hours' notice and did not provide virtual testimony options or multilingual information.

Anthony Gutierrez, Executive Director of Common Cause Texas, commented on the state's performance: “If the goal of redistricting is to ensure all voters have access to free and fair elections, it’s no surprise Texas failed the assignment.” He emphasized the need for independent commissions to handle redistricting instead of politicians.

The report indicates that federal courts have consistently found Texas lawmakers disenfranchising voters in past redistricting efforts. Dan Vicuña, Common Cause's national redistricting director, stated: “After a close look at all 50 states, this report shows more community voices produce better maps.”

The findings suggest that independent citizen-led commissions are effective in ensuring fair representation by prioritizing community input over political interests. The report was authored by Common Cause along with Fair Count, State Voices, and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and published in collaboration with CHARGE.