By Paul Anger, 2nd Vice Chair, JPDEC

The Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee will present a Facebook Live discussion – Voters’ Rights vs. Pure Politics -- at 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, on the most important voters’ rights issue facing Louisiana in 2022:

How to make the votes of all Louisianans really count.

The process to ensure that – or not -- is Redistricting, based on 2020 census numbers that show how Louisiana has changed since 2010 … population growth in Southeast Louisiana, loss of population in the north, a higher proportion of black residents statewide.

Joining us Tuesday night will be State Rep. Randal Gaines (D, LaPlace), a strong Legislative advocate for fairness in Redistricting; Tammy Savoie, a leading voice within the Democratic State Central Committee; and Ashley Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a non-partisan, non-profit group that advocates for voters’ rights and civic engagement.

To join the discussion, like the Jefferson Parish Democrats’ Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/JPDECfacebook, and you’ll be notified before the event starts Tuesday night.

Redistricting will ultimately be decided in 2022 by the Republican-dominated state Legislature, subject to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ approval. A series of public meetings – dubbed the Redistricting Roadshow -- is being held across the state to get public input on how new voting districts should be drawn.

And that’s where politics gets in the way of democracy. Districts in Louisiana are not currently drawn to make every vote count. Far from it.

Many districts at various levels – including the 2nd Congressional District – currently promote non-competitive elections where the outcomes are foregone conclusions. Often, the black vote is diluted through cynical machinations that pack black voters into designated districts instead of giving their votes wider impact in competitive districts.

Voters’ Rights vs. Pure Politics will examine the population changes in Louisiana, the opportunities to create fair and competitive districts, and the ways you can make your voice heard by legislators. One way is to show up at a Redistricting Roadshow public meeting. The remaining schedule:

++ Lake Charles, Dec. 15 – 5:30-8:30 p.m., Tritico Theater, McNeese State University.

++ New Orleans, Jan. 5 – 5:30-8:30 p.m., University Center, UNO.

++ Thibodaux, Jan. 11 – 5:30-8:30 p.m., Cotillion Ballroom, Nicholls State University.

++ Baton Rouge, Jan. 20 – 11 a.m., Louisiana State Capitol building.

The Power Coalition also offers resources online to help you understand the issues and get involved, whether that means attending a public meeting or sending messages to legislators:

https://powercoalition.org/redistricting/

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/#testimony

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/#glossary

https://powercoalition.org/census-2020-data-takeaways/

The Power Coalition is not a political organization. As its web site – powercoalition.org – explains, the group’s mission is to bring together “community-based organizations to educate and empower voters,” and amplify “voices of those who have historically been ignored.”

Historically, that hasn’t been the mission of our Legislature. Let’s link arms and do our best to make sure that finally happens in 2022.