An open letter to New Hampshire legislators: It’s been said that politics is our state sport. The passage of House Bill 706 (to establish a bipartisan redistricting commission) with strong bipartisan support in both houses signaled that legislators on both teams want to ensure that it’s played fairly.
Gov. Sununu then vetoed the bill on the grounds that having an unelected bipartisan commission oversee redistricting was “undemocratic” – in contrast to letting the party in power draw the district lines in their own favor.
I agree with the governor that we must respect the will of the people, carried out by our duly elected representatives; in this case, what the voters want, and what our reps support on our behalf, is a bipartisan commission.
All representatives who value fairness in politics should vote to override the veto of HB 706 on Sept. 18.
JESSICA BOLKER
Dover