Grassroots and community leaders to host joint press conference to detail their plans to fight ballot question seeking constitutional amendment; cite partisan gerrymandering and undue legislative influence in the redistricting process.

NEWARK – Community leaders and activists, many of which played integral roles in the recent 2018 midterm victories across the state, join together to demand legislators pull support from Senate and Assembly Concurrent Resolutions SCR43/ ACR60, which seek to change the New Jersey Constitution in order to allow changes experts decry as perpetuating gerrymandering. The groups shall convene on the steps of Newark CIty hall, and represent the position of over 130 leaders from across the state, who recently joined together to express opposition to the fast tracked proposal.  The groups will detail ways in which they are prepared to fight the proposal, from proposal to potential ballot question.

The community leaders and grassroots activists cite the following fatal flaws as the basis for their opposition:  specifically citing amongst other issues:

• The mandate for legislative participation in the commission; reserving a minimum of 4 out of 13 seats to elected officials, and giving direct influence to legislators in the appointment of at least 8 commision members.

• The restrictions placed upon the independent, non-partisan, court appointed tie-breaker, relegating the individual’s role to no more than a checklist prefect.

• The establishment and precedence of a mathematical model, that while seemingly fair on paper, is not rigorous enough to prevent unjust manipulation of the formula by parties with vested interest.

WHAT: Press Conference with grassroots and community leaders in opposition to SCR43/ACR60

WHERE: Steps of Newark City Hall, 920 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102

WHEN: Wednesday, December 5th, 1PM

WHO: Analilia Mejia (Director, New Jersey Working Families Alliance)

Barry Brendel (Chair, Our Revolution New Jersey)

Marcia Marley (Director, Blue Wave NJ)

Saily Avelenda (Director, NJ11th For Change)

Sue Altman (South Jersey Progressive Women for Change)

Winn “Uyen” Khoung (Director, Action Together, NJ)

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