It’s Not Illegal If I Do It

I don’t understand why more people aren’t upset with the redistricting. Last time I checked the electorate chooses their representative not the other way around. I understand the reasoning for redistricting to better support a changing population, but how does splitting McKenzie into two districts help anyone?

While politicians may argue that Tennessee is a conservative state, and they are simply protecting that status, they are more likely trying to entrench that status, latching on to power like a tick.

For one, Tennessee didn’t use to be Republican majority state, it was Democratic up through the 90’s, even having a Democratic governor until 2010; so, times change, they may change back. I say let it change naturally, if it pushes more conservative, so be it, but let this happen naturally. But even that conservative status is in question, if we look at the voter turnout for the most recent primary, more independents showed up.

Shouldn’t Tennessee then be a more independently minded state? Shouldn’t a state be representative of all of its populace and not just the simple majority? But let’s get back to the process as a whole. We had a law on the books from 1972 that prohibited this mid-decade redistricting. Instead of following this, they repeal it and force through a new map, in the middle of a primary no-less, giving affected candidates about a week to re-qualify.

I thought we were going to drain the swamp, but apparently our governor has turned into Shrek.

Andrew Evans
McKenzie, TN