OMAHA, Neb. – There are some Omaha residents who go to town halls to talk about the redistricting plans together.
Public hearings by the Nebraska Redistricting committee is another place to go to speak your mind about the redistricting plans.
Just as there are different places to go to give your viewpoint about redistricting plans, there are different ways Omaha residents approach these types of governmental processes.
Preston Love Jr. said, “The harm–one of the proposals in the Nebraska redistricting that’s on the table right now is to split the vote between the Black and the Brown vote right down the middle.”
Love is a Black Studies and Political Science Professor at UNO who is wary of gerrymandering.
Two plans for congressional districts have been at the forefront.
Republican State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan proposed adding Saunders and Sarpy County in its entirety with a split in Douglas County for District 2. Democratic State Sen. Justin Wayne proposed to keep Douglas County whole with Bellevue in District 2 as it was in 2011.
An organizer with the Revolutionary Action party, Bear Alexander, said, “The genesis of this political sphere is exclusionary. And it was made to exclude. And it was made to keep votes downtrodden.”
Love encourages Omaha residents to advocate for a fair process.
Alexander says going to Omaha City Hall and pleading to elected officials is frivolous.
