Reform is about political power and fairness, does not affect funding

by Peter Wagner, February 7, 2010 Link

A state-wide campaign is underway to end prison-based gerrymandering in New York State. Unfortunately, a misinformation campaign threatens those efforts. Today, the Elmira Star-Gazette in upstate New York printed
my letter to the editor:

Mayor Tonello is concerned that a bill to change how prisoners are counted for redistricting purposes would hurt Elmira’s budget. ["Officials: Changing how census counts inmates would hurt region", February 1] This concern is misplaced.

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Census engaged in ‘prison-based gerrymandering,’ report says

by Peter Wagner, February 6, 2010 Link

Andrew Paley has a great story about our prison-based gerrymandering in Illinois report in Medill Reports::

Census engaged in ‘prison-based gerrymandering,’ report says.
BY ANDREW PALEY
Did you know that your vote counts more if you live near a prison? That’s what the census says.

Somerset County says no to prison-based gerrymandering

by Peter Wagner, February 4, 2010 Link

A vote in Somerset County Maryland means that ending prison-based gerrymandering is getting closer.

An NAACP- and ACLU-led group of county leaders and community members, called the Somerset County Task Force on Diversity, has called for the county to explore the possibility of disregarding the population at the state prison when the county next updates its county legislative lines after the 2010 Census. In a 4-1 vote, the County Commission endorsed the Task Force’s recommendations.

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Hearings held in Oregon and Wisconsin today

by Peter Wagner, February 2, 2010 Link

This afternoon, the Wisconsin Assembly held a hearing on AJR63 [PDF], the Census Adjustment Amendment, today. The video and audio of the Assembly Committee on Elections and Campaign Reform hearing is available online courtesy of Wisconsin Eye (start at 57:37 in). The amendment would prohibit the state and local governments from using prison populations to pad legislative districts.

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Report on prison-based gerrymandering in Illinois released

by Peter Wagner, February 2, 2010 Link

Census Bureau counts Illinois prisoners in wrong place; access to democracy distorted

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — The 2010 Census is rapidly approaching, but an old error threatens the count, charges a new report by the non-profit Prison Policy Initiative. The report, Importing Constituents: Prisoners and Political Clout in Illinois, explains that the U.S. Census counts people incarcerated in state and federal prisons as residents of the prison location, and that creates big problems for democracy at both the state and local level. “Crediting Chicago’s population to downstate prisons changes the balance of power in Illinois and within rural counties,” said Executive Director and report co-author Peter Wagner.

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