Alabama state leaders must address legislative district problems unveiled in party primaries
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Eye on Politics
Paul DeMarco
We are still four months away from the Alabama general elections, but the controversy over the past primary season and the upcoming general election are still brewing.
First, there are still reverberations from the mistakes made in the redistricting process that had the Republican Party involved in having to sort out winners and losers for several legislative seats. Just this past week the party had to turn away another challenge by a candidate in Lauderdale County because of the allegation that voters had been put in the wrong district.
Ultimately, three registrars in Etowah County have resigned, but there are still unanswered questions across the state about what happened elsewhere and what problems may still exist in the newly redrawn state representative and senate districts.
Alabama lawmakers handling of redistricting of both legislative and congressional districts was one of the more disgraceful acts in the past four years for this group of legislators.
State senators and representatives drew the maps behind closed doors with lobbyists and hid them from the public until the last minute.
When citizens finally had a chance to look at the new lines for the maps, their concerns were ignored by legislators, and the maps were approved quickly.
Now the Alabama Republican Party has to handle the ensuing challenges to some election results since redistricting.
Alabama legislators and election officials have hurt the credibility of the electoral process in our state based on their actions.
All of these problems have to be addressed before the fall elections to avoid further potential disenfranchisement of voters. In addition, state leaders need to get to the real source of what led to voters being put in the wrong district.
Hopefully, new state officials next year can earn the trust of Alabama citizens in the future.
Voters must have complete confidence when they go to the ballot box.
And time is ticking before the next election.
Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.