Fact check: Which states have implemented independent redistricting commissions to prevent gerrymandering?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, seven states have implemented independent redistricting commissions to prevent gerrymandering ^[1]. The states specifically identified with independent citizen-redistricting commissions are:

• Arizona ^{[2] [3] [4]}
• California ^{[2] [5] [6] [3] [4] [7]}
• Colorado ^{[3] [4]}
• Idaho ^{[2] [3] [4]}
• Michigan ^{[3] [4]}
• Montana ^{[2] [3] [4]}
• Washington State ^{[2] [3] [4]}

New York also has an independent commission, though changes to redistricting maps would require a constitutional amendment ^[2]. California's commission was established by voters in 2008 and expanded in 2010 to include congressional maps ^[7].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The question omits several critical developments that reveal the fragility and political pressures facing these independent commissions:

• California Governor Gavin Newsom is currently proposing to override his state's independent redistricting commission's maps to gain more Democratic seats, effectively abandoning the independent process ^[6]. This represents a significant threat to the commission model that California pioneered over a decade ago.
• Political retaliation dynamics are driving these changes - California's move is described as a response to Texas' attempt to gain more Republican seats through redistricting ^[6], suggesting that independent commissions may be vulnerable when states feel pressured to compete politically.
• The Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition has proposed implementing an independent redistricting commission modeled after California's process ^[5], but this comes at a time when California itself is considering abandoning its commission.
• Democratic-controlled states like Maryland, New York, and Illinois have also engaged in gerrymandering to maintain political power ^[5], indicating that the problem extends beyond traditionally Republican-associated gerrymandering.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual, seeking information about which states have independent redistricting commissions. However, it omits the current political reality that these commissions face:

• The question implies that independent redistricting commissions are a stable, permanent solution to gerrymandering, when the evidence shows that political leaders from both parties are willing to circumvent or abandon these commissions when it serves their electoral interests.
• By focusing only on which states "have implemented" these commissions, the question fails to acknowledge that having a commission and actually respecting its independence are two different things, as demonstrated by Governor Newsom's current efforts to override California's commission ^[6].
• The framing suggests these commissions are an effective anti-gerrymandering measure, but the analyses reveal that both Democratic and Republican state leaders continue to pursue gerrymandering strategies despite the existence of these supposedly independent bodies.