Reforming American Redistricting: Lessons from British Columbia May 4, 2009

In April 2010, the U.S. government will conduct its next decennial census, triggering a wave of redistricting that will affect elections at all levels of U.S. government. Anticipating this once-in-a-decade event, policymakers and democratic reform activists throughout the United States are crafting laws to create a more democratically accountable redistricting process.

One innovative approach to creating an independent commission on electoral reform has taken place in the Canadian province of British Columbia. On May 12, the British Columbian voters will head to the polls to vote on a redistricting referendum recommended by a randomly selected group of provincial citizens called a “citizens assembly.” Does this innovation hold any lessons for American redistricting reform? On Monday, May 4, Hudson Institute will gather analysts and officials to discuss this and other questions that may present themselves as we move towards the 2010 census.

9:00 AM
Introductory Remarks
Christopher Sands, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute

9:10 AM
Recent American Proposals for Redistricting Reform
Les Francis, California Proposition 11 and Principal, Washington Media Group
Ellen Freidin, FairDistrictsFlorida.org and chairwoman of Florida's Committee for Fair Elections
Randy Ford, Aide to Democratic Representative John Tanner
Aide to Republican Cosponsor of Representative John Tanner’s redistricting bill (to be determined)

9:50 AM
Looking North for a Redistricting Model? A Closer Look at Efforts in British Columbia
J. H. Snider, President, iSolon.org

10:30 AM
COFFEE BREAK

10:40 AM
Legislative Update on Redistricting Reform
Gerald Hebert, Executive Director, Campaign Legal Center

11:00 AM
Critique of the Redistricting Reform Proposals
Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar on Congress, politics and the elections at American Enterprise Institute
Michael P. McDonald, Non-Resident Senior Fellow on governance studies at Brookings Institution
Bruce E. Cain, Professor of Political Science, University of California-Berkeley

12:00 PM
Adjournment

Please RSVP to events@hudson.org

Hudson Institute
Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center
1015 15th St, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005