New Jersey Democrats are in the early stages of considering an amendment to the state constitution that would place new guidelines on how the state redraws its legislative districts.
The idea was floated to Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly during a closed-door meeting Tuesday afternoon at an East Brunswick conference center, according to two sources with knowledge of the plan but who were not authorized to speak publicly about it….
The plan, which has not been formally drafted, is backed by the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, a liberal advocacy group that has become increasingly influential in New Jersey’s Democratic politics. Its executive director, Analilia Mejia, helped present the idea to Democrats. She declined to comment when leaving Tuesday’s meeting.
According to the sources, the biggest part of the proposal would enshrine into the constitution a provision that legislative district maps should reflect a political party’s “performance index” in the statewide vote.
That would favor Democrats, who consistently outperform Republicans in state legislative elections.