Who will be the Committee for 2020 Redistricting or Gerrymandering

 Gerrymandering is the purposeful manipulation of a Congressional, or State, voting district to provide a political party an edge over the other parties.

Sunday August 13, 2017, as printed in  the New Jersey's Courier Post, Jon Wisniewski (a Republican from NJ 5th District, and Matthew Hale a Political Science Professor, provided responses to questions concerning gerrymandering or Redistricting.

 They asserted redistricting protects the vote, and affirmed redistricting is necessary because population counts change nationally and statewide. Redistricting for Congressional Districts and NJ Legislature can change, increase or decrease, each ten year census cycle (2010 to 20120, etc.).

If a Congressional district’s population is lower as a percentage of national population a District can by merger to another District with in a state result in a loss of representation at the House of Representatives.

New Jersey Constitution has the number of districts fixed at forty, therefor population changes can or will affect the size or shape of NJ districts, but not cause the loss of a district. 

One opined that the system provides for across the aisle accommodations if a district is competitive. How many NJ politicians crossed the aisle during the ACA negotiations? Aisle crosser s are Politicians who want to stay in office. Many will vote counter to their platform just to remain a politician.

Jon Wisniewski cited ethnic minority representation being preserved in a district. I thought we went through years of overcoming racial and ethnic segregation. Will members appointed to redistrict, regardless of committee, New Jersey Statehouse or Congressional representation, be truly open minded, not be aligned ideologically?   

 Josh Gottheimer a 5th District Republican Assemblyman cited politicians working with the Non-Trump Republicans. Trump is our elected President voted for by many NJ voters.

The populace, you and I have the right to know the mind of redistricting committee members before they are given authority to place a voter or town in a particular district, state or congressional.