Canada's redistricting model could solve the US gerrymandering death spiral |
Canada’s redistricting model could solve the US gerrymandering death spiral
The current round of House remapping around the nation was fueled by the president asking Texas for “five more seats” so that Republicans could retain control of the House in this year’s midterm elections.
Historically, the party that holds the White House loses House seats in the midterms. Since 1938, the only exceptions to this outcome were Bill Clinton’s second term in 1998 (Democrats gained five seats) and George W. Bush’s first term in 2002 (Republicans gained eight seats). In both of these cases, the current president’s job approval rating was above 60 percent.
In contrast, Trump’s approval rate languishes in the mid 30s. The tea leaves suggest that House Republicans seeking to retain their seat need every advantage available to overcome the headwinds of rising inflation, high gas prices, and an unpopular war that was facilitated by their unwillingness to rein in the executive branch.
Much like House maps, districts in parliamentary systems are vulnerable to gerrymandering. In countries that use such systems, control of the government is determined by winning seats in parliament: The party or coalition that holds the majority of seats holds the levers of power. Given the large number of countries using a parliamentary system, one would expect widespread rampant gerrymandering.
Yet many have installed checks and balances to prevent such egregious partisan actions.
The nation’s northern neighbor sets an example that is worth emulating. Canada uses a parliamentary system for its government. To prevent gerrymandering that gives one party advantages on Election Day, Canada uses small independent commissions that work to keep the influence of elections in the........