When Gov. Sununu vetoed fair and equitable redistricting, his justification was “New Hampshire has a redistricting process that is fair, representative, and accountable to voters. New Hampshire takes the process seriously and we should take pride that issues of gerrymandering in the State are rare.” (7/31/2020). 2022 has proven this to be absolutely not true, as partisan gerrymandering has tipped the playing field even more and partisan loyalty is about to crush the last semblance of fair NH representation. Now is Gov. Sununu’s defining moment. Will he prove to be the governor of all New Hampshire or just another partisan politician who can’t put voters above party?
Gov. Sununu can hide behind excuses like, once it’s on my desk. Or, he can prove he has the strength and courage to stand for all NH by walking on to the Senate and House floors and either defend the current maps or refute them for the grotesque gerrymandering they are. The governor should discuss every gerrymandering question with both houses and the public. Currently, with the NH Senate maps, if the popular vote goes 50/50, voter packing could give one side a 16-8 majority. Everyone who does not want to see NH locked into a decade of pure red and blue districts needs to pressure the governor. If the current maps don’t change, it will be the rare instance when the 37% of voters who are registered undeclared will even matter for the next ten years.
Steven Borne
Rye