Voters have the power to choose their representatives, but the Texas Legislature has a fixed number of seats in both houses: 31 in the Senate and 150 in the House. Every 10 years, the Legislature redesigns the boundaries for the State Board of Education (SBOE), which sets policies and adopts standards for Texas public schools and oversees the Texas Education Agency and the Permanent School Fund. In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the importance of redistricting reform due to gerrymandering being used to manipulate electoral outcomes and create districts that are not representative of the population. This has led to citizens becoming more vocal about their desire for fair and equitable representation. In Fort Worth, Texas, several initiatives have been taken to promote redistricting reform. In 2018, a coalition called Fair Maps Texas was formed to advocate for fair and transparent redistricting processes.
The group has held numerous public forums and meetings to discuss redistricting reform and has also worked with local elected officials to push for changes. In 2019, the Fort Worth City Council passed a resolution calling for an independent redistricting commission to be established. This resolution was supported by Fair Maps Texas and other local organizations. The commission would be responsible for drawing district lines that are fair and representative of the population. The city council also passed a resolution in 2020 that would require all city council members to take an oath of office affirming their commitment to fair redistricting. This resolution was also supported by Fair Maps Texas and other local organizations. The efforts of Fair Maps Texas and other local organizations have had an impact on public opinion in Fort Worth.
A recent survey conducted by the University of North Texas found that nearly two-thirds of respondents supported an independent redistricting commission. This is a significant increase from previous surveys, which showed only about half of respondents supporting such a commission. The survey also found that most respondents believed that gerrymandering was a problem in Fort Worth and that it should be addressed through redistricting reform. This is another indication that public opinion on key redistricting reforms has shifted in recent years. Overall, it is evident that public opinion on key redistricting reforms has changed over time in Fort Worth, Texas. The initiatives taken by Fair Maps Texas and other local organizations have had a positive impact on public opinion, with more people now supporting an independent redistricting commission and believing that gerrymandering should be addressed through redistricting reform.
