Proposal for the Coalition

[Kelly Haughton]

2010 is the year of the census. Therefore, 2011 will be the year of gerrymandering and drawing district lines for all kinds of districts. 2011 would be a good year for an anti-gerrymandering initiative in the state of Washington.

The focus of the initiative could be the State House of Representatives. Under the proposed initiative, half of the state reps would be elected as they are today in the 49 districts around the state. Simultaneously, voters would be asked to vote for their favorite party and party list. The remaining 49 representatives would be allocated to the parties such that if a party received 40% of the party vote, they would have 40% of the total representatives in the State House.

For example, if the Republicans received 40% of the state party vote and has elected 17 representatives in the district level elections, then they would be entitled to an additional 23 representatives from their party list. If the Democrats received 50% of the state party vote and elected 31 representatives in the district level elections, then they would be entitled to an additional 19 representatives from the party list. The remainder of the representatives would go to other parties based on their percentages of the state party vote.

For a party to qualify to be on the ballot, it would have to collect 200 signatures and nominate a party list of at least 20 candidates. For a party to qualify for representation in the State House, it must receive at least 2% of the statewide vote for the state party list. So, if the Green Party received 2+% of the party vote and won no district level elections, then it would be entitled to 2 positions in the State House.

This would encourage Republicans, Libertarians, and Greens in Seattle to vote and have a hope of representation. Parties, such as the Constitution Party with support spread out around the state would have a shot at seats in the State House. By having half of the Representatives still elected by district, we ensure geographic diversity. By electing half via party lists, we ensure ideological diversity and reduce the effect of gerrymandering significantly.

Please note that this proposal does not affect the Executive Branch or the election of the Executive Branch. Thus, analogies to Israel and Italy with their parliamentary systems are incorrect. The government will not fall if no party has a majority of the state house. Instead, parties will have to work together and compromise to pass legislation. The Governor will keep on running the executive branch.

The Coalition, by sponsoring such an initiative, could work to ensure that the initiative would significantly level the playing field for our elections to the State House while at the same time attacking gerrymandering at its core. Most solutions to the gerrymandering problem do not attack the single member district problem and hence fall short of helping more votes count. Having a party list function in electing our State House would make all votes for the party list around the state count equally. Even in districts which are hopelessly Democrat or hopelessly Republican. It would be good for democracy in the state of Washington.

Kelly Haughton