Sen. Raskin, a Democrat in a Democratically-controlled legislature, has long suggested the best way to hold congressional elections is with fair representation voting. His new legislation presents a creative way to end the national standoff. He has proposed entering in an interstate compact (a contract among states, for example the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey or the National Popular Vote plan for president) that would first involve negotiation with the state of Virginia (hence the name “Potomac Compact”).
Senator Raskin’s proposed compact would end having ugly districts, but more importantly end ugly representation and lack of competition: it allows Maryland, Virginia and other states to escape the single-winner district gerrymandering system altogether. It proposes that Maryland and any other participating states — starting with negotiations with Virginia — form independent redistricting commissions that are empowered to create congressional districts in which multiple candidates are elected, rather than a single candidate per district, as is currently the case. By allowing more than one voice to represent a district, the new plan would break up the monopoly that one party or another has on representation in an area. It still would need congressional consent to go into place, but it would be Congress consenting to plans agreed to by the participating states.