NH Republicans Deny Democrats, Public Access to Redistricting Software

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 03, 2011

New Video Shows House Republicans Using Redistricting Software Democrats, Public Have Been Denied Access To

House Republicans say public may be denied access to redistricting software paid for by NH taxpayer dollars; meanwhile Republican legislators already using program

CONCORD, NH --House Republicans are currently using new redistricting software developed by the state while Democratic legislators and the public have been denied access, according to a new video out today by Granite State Progress.

"GSP Video: NH Republicans Deny Democrats, Public Access to Redistricting Software" shows several scenes from the Cheshire County public hearing on redistricting and this week's most recent Special Committee on Redistricting meeting where members of the public and Democratic legislators can be seen requesting access to the state-developed redistricting software. In response, Chair Paul Mirski (R-Enfield) and Vice Chair David Bates (R-Windham) state several times that no one has used the software and that it might not be released to the public -- immediately before other Republican legislators expressly admit to having access to the software.

"This is an incredible abuse of our taxpayer dollars and fair representation in the State House," said Zandra Rice Hawkins, Director of Granite State Progress. "Speaker O'Brien and his leadership team are using publicly funded programs for partisan advantage. Every legislator should have access to this software to help them prepare and propose plans for redistricting, and members of the public should be allowed to access it with enough time to weigh in."

Transparency has been a chief concern throughout this year's redistricting process; the committee only recently announced and hosted county hearings on redistricting after immense public pressure by groups Granite State Progress and America Votes.1 Even then, the public was given no plan to comment on and the committee leadership largely refused to answer questions from the public regarding the timeline, process and potential plans.

Questions about the redistricting software surfaced at those public hearings, as well as in committee this week. In response to Chair Mirski's blatant denial that Republican legislators have accessed the software despite public statements to the contrary, Granite State Progress filed a Right to Know request today with the Speaker's office regarding the software. It reads in part:

"This software was developed at a cost to New Hampshire taxpayers for the purposes of redistricting, yet the public has received no information regarding the cost, use and distribution of the software. Furthermore, House Leadership, House Counsel and former Republican political operative Ed Mosca, and several Republican representatives have accessed and used this software while Democratic legislators and staff have thus far been restricted from viewing, accessing or using the software."

The right to know request asks for several pieces of information, including who has had access to the software and the date they first viewed, accessed or used it; as well as who and how it is decided who can view, access or use the redistricting software. Granite State Progress is also calling for information regarding how the software will be accessible to the public.

"Redistricting will determine our districts as well as our elected officials and policies for years to come," Rice Hawkins said. "Partisan political interests should have no place in shaping or planning for these lines. This committee needs to be doubly vigilant in ensuring it's open and transparent. It has thus far failed significantly by even the smallest measurement imaginable." ------------------------------------------------------
1 Lack of Redistricting Transparency Concerns NH Groups, http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/21636-1 & Local Meetings Present Chance for Citizens to Discuss Redistricting, Debate Lack of Transparency, http://www.americavotes.org/NH_redistricting

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Granite State Progress is a progressive advocacy organization that addresses issues of immediate state and local concern. Granite State Progress works as a communications hub for the progressive community to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems.

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