Discuss Redistricting and Gerrymandering in April of 2020 in Colorado Springs
With the recent Supreme Court decision about partisan gerrymandering devolving the issue to the states and continuing conversations about the health of the democratic process in the United States, we encourage the geography community to take an active role in discussions and redistricting plans at all scales, offering a conference to explore what actions we might take as researchers, academics, and community members.
Here is a link to the conference website: www.uccs.edu/geocivics/conference
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Colorado College will host a four-day conversation, with the first two days (April 2-3) devoted to using Colorado as a lens for understanding challenges within a state experiencing demographic growth and changes, examining practical challenges to a fair process.
The subsequent two days (April 4-5), immediately prior to the Denver American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, will focus on approaches to bridging theory and practice in Colorado and beyond. We will not schedule concurrent sessions as we think all need to hear the same information. We seek presentations on the history of gerrymandering, the role of geospatial technology and mathematical analysis, classroom and community engagement, grassroots efforts (e.g. Voters Not Politicians in Michigan, Draw the Lines PA), serving as expert witnesses, approaches to redistricting in international contexts, and redistricting at scales beyond that of the federal congressional district (e.g. state senate and house districts, county and city governing bodies, school districts, and planning boards). This conference is designed to inform the political parties, bipartisan commissions, the media, and the general public of the geographic and demographic knowledge, political analysis, and computer mapping
If you are interested in attending the pre-conference, please let us know by completing the registration form, indicating whether you are interested in making a presentation or serving on a panel. Additional details about the conference logistics and deadlines will be forthcoming. Here is a link to the registration form: www.uccs.edu/geocivics/form/registration
Stan Brunn, University of Kentucky
Richard Morrill, University of Washington
Rebecca Theobald, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Beth Malmskog, Colorado College
Sara Hagedorn, University of Colorado Colorado Springs