Speak Out For Fair Districts
This Friday and Saturday the Senate Redistricting Committee will hold public hearings on map proposals for the Texas Senate (SB 4) and the State Board of Education (SB 7).
Current drafts:
DistrictViewer map for SB 4
DistrictViewer map for SB 7
It’s so important that the community input of Texans from all over the state be heard in every step of the district drawing process that has already begun.
Why?
Fair districting (or lack thereof) sets a foundation for the next 10 years and can have huge implications for communities up and down the state. It’s also our shot at fair representation. When lawmakers prioritize party politics over people, Texans suffer and we don’t have to look too much further than very recent state history to see where that proves true.
(…pandemic, trying to vote safely in a pandemic, trying to keep heat and lights on, trying to send our kids to school safely in a pandemic, voter suppression, attacks on reproductive freedom, attacks on education, attacks on trans students, and on and on.)
The way lawmakers draw our voting districts now is how they can potentially seal their seats of power.
And that’s why we have to speak up. A few ways to do it below!
Can you be available to testify this Friday or Saturday?
Showing up to make your statement before lawmakers and becoming part of the public record is crucial. Whatever they say or do in the next few weeks, they won’t be able to say they didn’t know Texans want fair maps!
Details for testifying:
You must register and testify in-person.
Per the hearing notices: COVID-19 testing and wristbands are required for access to the Senate hearing room.
Free COVID testing and wristbands are available in E1.010.
If not in-person, can you submit public comments?
Any member of the public may submit written comments and attachments to the committee at any time throughout the districting process. To submit written comments and attachments via the public-input portal, please visit the committee's website at https://senate.texas.gov/cmte.php?c=625.
All comments and attachments received via the public-input portal are shared with all committee members and maintained in the committee's official records.
Can you take your message to other Texans?
Like we said, testifying is an important part of the public record on Texas redistricting and helps establish where we stand for the fight that is to come.
But there are so many other people around you who need to hear how the way our districts shape and divide our community hits home for them too. Fair districting is a health issue, an education issue, a justice issue, a climate issue, a voting rights issue. The things that matter most to us and that we all value and advocate on? Those things are impacted by whether or not we can hold our representation accountable at the ballot box.
We’ve made it easy to record your video via Every Texan’s portal here and when you’re done, you simply hit “submit” and fill out the quick form. You can also upload your own pre-recorded video to the portal!
From there you’ll be able to share your video widely across your social media platforms and we can amplify your message so that every Texan knows why fair maps have to be our fight!
You won’t be alone. This past Monday, nearly two dozen Texans joined the Fair Maps Texas press conference to speak out for a fair and open redistricting process!
Texans from all across the state joined up this past Monday for a virtual press event where they spoke up about the need for transparency and accountability from our state’s leaders when it comes to drawing districts as well as the need for the public to be given sufficient time to review maps so we can understand the impact to our communities and have an opportunity to voice our input.
