Professor Steve Bickerstaff, UT Law School and author of
Proposition 3, sent a letter to the members of the ICRC providing some
suggestions on . . . “how the commission might begin its organization.”
The important takeaways:
Rotation of the
commission chair position: This would foster a “positive relationship
[among members of the commission] by reducing internal power struggles and
centralization of power.”
Interviewing
applicants for the remaining positions on the commission: California
officials used interviews in selecting their members. Bickerstaff asks the
commission to consider whether interviews are desirable.
Diversity on the
commission: Bickerstaff states that “Complying with the requirements of
Proposition 3 is absolutely necessary, but the way in which the requirements are
met is your task. However, it is apparent that, given the importance of the
Voting Rights Act, one or more African-Americans should be added to the panel.
. . . In California, the six additional
commission members were selected as a slate rather than individually. The Austin
commission has this option. Although diversity is important and required for the
makeup of the commission, it is important to not lose sight of the overriding
objective of having a commission that has the necessary analytical skills and
impartiality to produce a districting plan that fully complies with the law and
is fair to all Austinites.”
Reading the entire letter is beneficial and recommended. It
is here: http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=190228
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