Texas redistricting's bumpy road

Texas legislative and congressional races once again are in a state of flux because a federal court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday rejected the state's Republican-drawn redistricting maps.

The three-judge panel found that the state "used an improper standard of methodology to determine which districts afford minority voters the ability to elect their preferred candidates of choice."

The action puts in motion plans for a full trial on the matter. But because of the time that will take, a federal court in San Antonio will have to draw interim maps of voting districts for use in the 2012 elections.

The Texas Legislature brought this about -- again. Though Texas added four congressional districts (to 36) primarily because of a surge in the state's Hispanic population, the Republican majority in the Legislature drew redistricting lines aimed principally at fortifying GOP ranks in Congress and in Austin.

Texas remains one of those states that, because of past discriminatory practices, must have any changes in its election procedures pre-cleared by the U.S. Justice Department or a federal court.

This go-round, Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican, bypassed the Justice Department, whose chief was appointed by a Democratic president, and went straight to court in D.C. Meanwhile, numerous lawsuits challenging the maps were filed in the San Antonio federal court.

Texas' Republican leaders insist the plans are fair and legal, but the courts have said not so fast.

Maps for congressional districts and the state House and Senate are involved, but the D.C. court didn't specify which plan it was addressing. A more detailed opinion is expected later.

It takes a road map and a score card to keep up. And the latest development means candidates don't even know yet what jurisdictions they'll be running in.

Redistricting chaos has become all too familiar in Texas, whether Republicans or Democrats have been in charge.

Fights over alleged gerrymandering resulted in federal courts drawing parts of Texas' redistricting plans after the census in 1980, 1990 and 2000. Some court battles lasted for years and resulted in multiple revisions.

This time, filing deadlines will have to be moved. And districts the court draws for now might look different from those derived after the trial.

As long as legislators control redistricting, partisan politics will drive the results: protecting incumbents and maximizing the seats for the party in power.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board has long supported the creation of an independent, nonpartisan body that could bring more objectivity to the process of revising congressional voting districts.

In a special session this summer, the state Senate actually passed a bill by Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, to establish a bipartisan redistricting commission. But the measure went nowhere in the Texas House.

His latest proposal was to create a nine-member Texas Congressional Redistricting Commission. Each party caucus in the House and Senate would appoint two members, and they would choose a nonvoting ninth member to lead the commission. Rural representation was assured, and appointees couldn't be elected officials, lobbyists or party officers besides precinct committee members. Commission members also couldn't run for office or take part in or give to federal or state campaigns during their two-year terms.

Wentworth has tried for 18 years to change the state's redistricting procedure, and he shouldn't give up that worthy, if seemingly Sisyphean, effort. It has the potential for a fairer, smoother process.

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