This time around, the process will be even more charged, as the state is being forced to reduce the number of congressional districts from 10 to nine based on census data.
At least one group is taking an aggressive approach to help ensure that the plan adopted by the state helps increase the odds of minorities winning seats in the Legislature and Congress.
The Massachusetts Black Empowerment Coalition, which has threatened to sue the state if lawmakers do not go along with its plan, recently asked the US Justice Department to oversee actions by the Legislature’s Redistricting Committee.
The Justice Department said in August that it would “carefully consider’’ the request.
Now the coalition has sent a letter to Governor Deval Patrick asking him to “veto any redistricting legislation that does not reflect political equity for minority groups.’’
Because of the governor’s extensive history of civil rights work, first as a lawyer with the NAACP and then with the Justice Department, Patrick is “all too cognizant of the sovereignty of the vote, especially as it pertains to historically disenfranchised groups,’’ coalition cochairman Kevin Peterson said in the letter, which was sent late last week.
“The maps that we presented are game changers,’’ Peterson said Friday.
He said his group’s plan promises to double the number of minority-majority state legislative districts from 10 to 20 and create an incumbent-free congressional district.
“If something similar isn’t incorporated in the final redistricting plan, then I think the black community has no choice but to go back to the courts to seek relief,’’ he said, adding that there are few other ways to “achieve the sort of equity that we are looking for.’’
The governor’s press secretary, Alex Goldstein, said the office is reviewing the letter and appreciates the concerns it raised.
“We look forward to reviewing a final proposal from the Legislature that is fair and equitable for all Massachusetts residents,’’ Goldstein said.
