1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose Senate Concurrent Resolution 1023 when it comes before the Senate Government Committee on Wednesday. This resolution would fundamentally undermine Arizona's Independent Redistricting Commission, which currently serves as a national model for fair redistricting. SCR 1023, sponsored by Senator JD Mesnard from District 13, would expand the commission from 5 to 9 members while allowing legislative leaders to directly appoint four commissioners. This gives the legislature excessive control over a body specifically designed to be independent from partisan influence. The current system's success stems from its structural independence, and these changes would compromise that foundation. The resolution also mandates that no more than 4 commissioners come from the most populous county and 2 from the second most populous county. This effectively requires 6 of 9 commissioners to reside in Maricopa and Pima counties, concentrating geographic representation in just two counties and marginalizing rural Arizona voices in the redistricting process. Most concerning is the new population equality standard requiring legislative districts to vary by no more than 5,000 people. Current law allows up to 10 percent variation, which enables communities like the Navajo Nation to remain united in single districts despite geographic challenges. The stricter 5,000-person limit would force the splitting of tribal lands and other minority communities, diluting their voting power and violating the spirit of the Voting Rights Act protections that the commission is required to uphold. This is not a new effort. Republicans introduced similar proposals in 2020, 2018, and 2017, all of which failed. The repeated attempts to restructure a system that works well suggest partisan motivation rather than genuine reform. Arizona's current redistricting commission has earned national recognition for its independence and fairness. I ask you to vote no on SCR 1023 and preserve the integrity of our redistricting process.