Redistricting raises bias concerns

Albany Times Union wrote about how the Senate GOP is continuing to try to use gerrymandering for their own political advantage. Gerrymandering only serves the GOP's partisan agenda and does not allow voters to be fairly represented.

ALBANY -- When LATFOR, the legislative panel charged with the controversial redistricting process, held its latest hearing Wednesday on Long Island, several witnesses drew attention to the area around Brentwood, which in contrast to wealthier communities in Suffolk County is denser and has a higher proportion of black and Latino residents.

The area is split among four Senate districts -- all occupied by Republicans.

According to researchers at the good-government group Common Cause, the neighborhood is one of the clearest examples of partisan gerrymandering. It illustrates a process called "cracking," in which certain pockets of voters -- often members of racial minorities -- are parceled off to several districts so their collective voting tendencies are diluted.

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