Make redistricting much more equitable

I chuckled when I read the headline article "Redistricting map approved" (Oct. 1).

Redistricting equates to two-party political control of congressional districts within each state. Of the 435 congressional districts in the United States, only about 15 of them are competitive. Only 15 of 435 congressional races are not locked up by one or the other party.

Why? Because state legislators determine or draw the districts therefore they create districts in which their party will win the majority of the congressional seats within that state. The party that controls the state House will own most of the congressional seats. This is the primary cause of lifetime career congressional politicians. It is gerrymandering taken to the extreme, and the public is being bamboozled.

THIS ALSO contributes to the low voter turnout here in the United States, because your vote really does not count unless you are voting in one of the 15 competitive districts. The other 420 districts have been predetermined for the incumbent. This could be changed to make it competitive in every district.

I believe that is what our Founding Fathers had in mind when they created this great nation. They discussed the need to have ordinary citizens leave their jobs and serve for a time in the government of the people, by the people and for the people, and then return home - which then allows others to do the same.

We have the power to do that by using computers to randomly construct districts that have no more than a 5 percent differentiation between each party based on historical voting records. That can be done because there are about 33 percent registered Republicans and 32 percent registered Democrats on average, with a swing voter population of 35 percent in the middle. Each district should be competitive so as to encourage more competition for the congressional seat, which would give rise to a better quality of candidate and eliminate career politicians.

OUR COUNTRY would have the benefit of fresh new ideas on a continual basis. The power of the congressional office would be put back in the hands of the voters as opposed to the parties and special interests. Party-line voting would become a thing of the past as each congressman would be compelled to vote based on the benefit to the constituents of the district they represent. Voter registration would probably increase because an individual's vote would become more meaningful. Only exceptionally good congressmen would be re-elected.

Do you think that those who are now in power on both sides like this idea? Ask them. The answer shouldn't surprise you.

(Editor's note: The writer is a former Augusta State University professor, and was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 9th Congressional District, in the 2004 election.)