Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Reforming Alaska's Reapportionment Process

House Passes Proposal to Remove Partisan Politics from the Process

For Immediate Release: April 2, 1998 Contact: Rep. Brian Porter at (907) 465-4930 or Rep. Eldon Mulder at (907) 465-2647.

Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives Thursday overwhelmingly passed House Joint Resolution 44, which proposes Constitutional Amendments to remove the threat of political gerrymandering from the state's Reapportionment and Redistricting provisions. HJR 44, which was sponsored by Representatives Brian Porter and Eldon Mulder (both R-Anchorage), passed 27-11.

"HJR 44 strives to remove partisan politics from the board's deliberations to the greatest extent possible," said Rep. Porter. "It is intended to produce balanced, professionally drawn apportionment plans that will withstand both legal challenges and charges of too much political favoritism in either direction," Porter said.

HJR 44 establishes a five-member Reapportionment Board. Two of the members would be appointed by the Legislative Majority, two by the Legislative Minority, and one by the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court.

"Currently, the governor appoints the members of the board, leaving the process open to charges of political favoritism," said Rep. Mulder. "In no other state does a governor have such power over the reapportionment process. In the name of good government, this is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue," Mulder said.

# # #

Broadcasters note: Actualities are available toll-free on the House Majority Actuality Line 1-800-478-6540.
= Eldon Mulder, 33 K