Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

There appears to be a lot of apprehensions coupled with a certain amount of concern for many residents of Districts 3,4, and 5 in the city of Monroe as redistricting maps are being presented that will show changes that, in the long run, will not satisfy everyone. Redistricting was a word that didn’t matter to people because they thought it didn’t really affect them, but in the current political climate, redistricting is being used for political advantage, as we see more instances of redistricting being challenged in court because of its perceived unfairness. What exactly is redistricting? According to the Urban League of Louisiana website, a census is done every ten years as this nation counts everyone in the U.S., and the states redraw their state and congressional districts based on that count. These districts determine how communities are represented at local, state, and federal levels. Redistricting is supposed to ensure that community voices are represented equally by creating districts with nearly the same number of people. Currently, residents are being shown several proposed maps that appear to pinpoint making changes in Districts 3, 4, and 5. The proposed maps drawn by the Louisiana Census Bureau are supposed to be non-partisan, as information from the 2020 census is being used to determine new city boundary lines for the five districts in ways to keep them “majority” as they are now. Population changes in communities can affect how lines will be drawn. As of now, what is being shown to residents are just proposals, allowing concerned citizens to offer their ideas and changes. Redistricting can affect voters in who they want in office. That could have a detrimental effect in Monroe, as the majority vote on the city council could change. Is that the end game that will come from redistricting? No one in Monroe is talking, as residents in Districts 3, 4, and 5 are being given proposals only, as the decisions that will matter should be forthcoming. Though the process(and as of now, that’s what it is) is supposed to ensure that the lines drawn will result in equal representation based on census data, one can’t be sure that will happen in Monroe. That is based on the concerns that are heard in the community, as residents look to their representatives for answers. Then there is the possibility of gerrymandering, where maps are not drawn fairly or appropriately, where boundaries are manipulated, giving an unfair political advantage to a particular political party or individuals. As of now, all concerned citizens can do is to make sure that their current representatives are knowledgeable and up to date on what is being proposed and inform their constituents what(if anything) they plan to do as representatives of their respective communities. After the smoke clears, there will be a winner and a loser. Streets will be moved, changing the voter demographics and, in essence, changing the voter strength in some districts. Will it be District 3, 4, or 5? Is it truly necessary? Redistricting meetings were held by City Council District 3 Juanita Woods on Monday, December 5, 2022 at Greater New Antioch Baptist Church in Monroe, LA Redistricting meetings for City Council Districts 4 and 5 Carday Marshall and Kema Dawson at the Monroe Safety Center on Tuesday, December 7, 2022.