Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 15, 2012 – While the political power gambit known as gerrymandering is nearly as old as the U.S. Census itself, the reapportionment of state congressional, house and senate districts based on the Decennial Census count is increasingly subject to unfair political bias and manipulation, in direct contravention of the ideals and intent of our founding fathers.
Wikipedia defines gerrymandering as “a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan or incumbent-protected districts’”. In practice, gerrymandering is often used to achieve a desired electoral outcome, creating a distinct advantage for one party over another. Gerrymandering is often used to help or hinder particular demographic, political, religious, linguistic or class groups.
“The Great State of Indiana is above this type of partisan politics”, declares Indiana District 53 State House Candidate Kim J. Brand. “Yet, decade after decade, gerrymandering continues unabated, adversely affecting the fair and equal representation that voters of the Hoosier State are rightly entitled to under both the U.S. and State Constitutions.”
Noting that Indiana retained all nine of its current allotment of congressional districts following the 2010 Census, Mr. Brand pointed out that the current redistricting plan approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Mitch Daniels on May 10, 2011 clearly provides Republicans with a chance to capture seven of the nine Indiana Congressional seats up for grabs this year in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Whether you call it Gerry-rigging as CNN referred to it in its November 18, 2011 TV special entitled, “Gerry-Rigged” – ‘is your neighborhood election almost rigged?’ – or prefer to use the popular political label gerrymandering, it still stinks to the high heavens,” chides the State House District 53 candidate. “Voters throughout Indiana and across this great nation must have confidence in the political process, now more than ever. The constitutional mandate of fair and equal representation is not for sale. Today, I call for an end to the practice of gerrymandering in the State of Indiana,” Brand concludes.
Kim J. Brand is the 2012 Libertarian Party Candidate running for the Indiana State House District 53 seat held by incumbent GOP State Representative Robert “Bob” W. Cherry.
Kim J. Brand is President and CEO of Computer Experts, Inc., of Indianapolis, a full-service computer consulting firm. Mr. Brand is also a Partner in Server Partners, LLC, a developer of Linux-based small business file server appliances. Kim also currently serves as Vice President of the Cumberland, Indiana Redevelopment Commission, and is a 33rd Degree Freemason affiliated with the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple. Kim and wife Beth Ann are both Indianapolis natives, but have resided in Hancock County for the past 25 years. They have been married for 37 years and have 3 children.