CACR19 is a constitutional amendment that would create an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw election districts for state and federal offices, stripping the responsibility from the legislature. The nine-member commission would include a mix of political affiliations. If the commission fails to produce a map, the state Supreme Court would appoint a special master to finalize it.
The New Hampshire State House of Representatives rejected CACR19 on March 14, 2024 by a vote of 186 to 189. We have assigned pluses to the nays because it is constitutionally the legislature’s duty to draw district lines for state and federal offices, a responsibility that would be shifted to unelected bureaucrats under this amendment. Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution grants state legislatures the authority to determine the “Times, Places and Manner” of elections, including redistricting, reaffirming their central role in the process.