CORRECTED: Note from Rep. Gara: Politicians Should Give Back Your Vote, Avoid Annual Abortion Scuffle
March 3, 2014
Today I filed legislation no party in power would like. It will give you back your vote by eliminating the power the party in power has to gerrymander districts in their favor. This hasn’t been a monopoly of Republicans, though they gerrymandered Alaska’s lines most recently in 2012. Parties have used their majority status to “gerrymander” districts, to try to pre-determine election results, since Governor Elbridge Gerry did it in 1812.
Read More →
House Joint Resolution 28 Sponsor Statement: Constitutional Amendment: Redistricting Board
February 27, 2014
Link to the HJR28 sponsor statement from the office of Representative Les Gara
Read More →
NEWS: Gara, Kawasaki Introduce Bi-Partisan Redistricting Proposal
February 26, 2014
JUNEAU – Today Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) and Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) filed a constitutional amendment to end Alaska’s process of partisan, one-party-controlled redistricting. If passed and ratified by Alaskan voters, the bi-partisan redistricting legislation would let Alaska join nine other states with either non-partisan or bi-partisan redistricting, according to a report by the legislature’s Legislative Research Services.
Read More →
NEWS: GOP Redistricting Board Splits Neighborhoods for Political Advantage
June 26, 2013
Gara calls for end to gerrymandering and for Court to appoint independent master
Today Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) called for the GOP-dominated Redistricting Board to stop offering election maps that tear apart neighborhoods in order to create a GOP tilted election map. The courts have already rejected two Board plans as illegal.
Read More →
NEWS: Gara, French Demand End to Partisan Redistricting in Alaska
June 4, 2013
Two steps: Replace GOP Board with non-partisan expert; develop non-partisan process for 2022
Today Representative Les Gara and Senator Hollis French (both D-Anchorage) called for two steps to stop the abusive practice of partisan redistricting, or “gerrymandering,” and ensure all Alaskans get fair representation in the state legislature. The current partisan-based Redistricting Board is over a year overdue and its inability to draw a fair plan forced Alaskans to vote under an unconstitutional plan in 2012.
Read More →
