FAIR REPRESENTA TION IN
GENERAL ASSEMBLY POSSIBLE
WITH SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS
INOL'ROBESON*
The N.C. General As
sembly's re districting plans
have been rejected by the
U.S. Justice Department for
the most obvious reasons
to "dilute minority voting
strength" period. For instan
ce, in the case of the house
districts, it is because of the
large number of muhi- mem
ber districts in which voters
are chosen from lists of at
large candidates. Invariab
ly, as in the case of the last
democratic primary in our
district, incumbent Robert
Davis, a Black, was rejected
by BUI Gay, a white. Adolph
Dial, a reputable Indian can
didate, finished out of the
money in the '78 elections.
Rather than continue to
futilely fuss with the Justice
Department, the N.C. Gene
ral Assembly ought to get on
with the business at hand and
come up with an eiectrol
process that guarantees fair
representation to all races; in
Robeson thai includes Indi
ans, Blacks and whites.
Robeson County, with its
unique tri-racial populace, .
ought to take the lead by
agreeing on a map of single
member districts and volun
teer it to the general assembly
for its consideration.
THE ROBESON COUNTY
INDIAN CAUCUS HAS,
COME UP WITH JUST SUCH
A PLAN...
At its January S meeting
the Robeson County Indian
Caucus went on record sup
porting single member dis
tricts in Robeson County. The
plan makes a lost of sense.
Really, Robeson County,
unlike any other county in _
NC has enough Indians
(35,511, according to the 1980
census) to almost elect one of
their own, without the help of
any other racial group. The
ideal house district requires
approximately 50,000 per
I
Under the current appor
tionment ache me, Robeson is
combined with Hoke end
y-eund Counties. The Indian
population of this three coun
ty district is only 26.0 percent,
thus, making it impossible lor
an Indian candidate to be
elected unless he or she
receives substantial black
support (which is not always
forthcoming) as the vast ma
jority of Robeson whites do
not vote for Indian candidates
(nor do such white voters
support black candidates).
If Scotland and Hoke were
split off from the" present
district to create a new single
member district, the black
population would comprise
38.4 percent of the total
population as contrasted with
only 29.7 percent in the
present district; furthermore,
the black-Indian population in
the new district would be 47.2
percent of the total. Thus,
the black strength in the new
districts would be increased
while the total' minority popu
lation (blacks and Indians
combined) would be substan
tially equal to the white
population.
After Hoke and Scotland
are split off from the present
district, Robeson could be
split into two single-member
districts. Aa East -West split
would creat a majority (55.0
percent) Indian district in the
West, however, the eastern
district would be majority
(58.1 percent) white. Another
option, more favorable to
blacks, would be a North
South split. The northern
district would be 46.4 percent |
Indian while the southern I
district would be 31.3 percent
black (the present district is
Otfy-29.7 percent Mack). H i
should be noted also that if a
black-Indian alliance will work
in the present district which is
43.8 percent white, then
surely such an alliance would
work in the Southern Robeson
district which is only 44.7
m i l> 1# a ? mm c m m m ? ? 11 ?
percent wnite, tnts u espcu
ally so as Indians in the
northern district would re
quire black support in order to
elect an Indian to the State
House. Thus, a natural allian
ce (founded upon a stronger
basis than the present one)
between blacks and Indians
woule be created: An Indian
candidate could win in the
North with black support
while a black candidate could
win in the South with Indian
support. This arrangement
would lead to a truly tri- racial
legislative delegation for Ro
beson: A black and an Indian
representative with a white
senator. Nowhere else in the
state is such an arrangement
possible; therefore, as the use
of single-member districts
throughout the State is bound
to substantially increase the
black representation in the
120-member State House,
surely such an arrangement
deserves a chance in Robeson
where it will assure the
State's Indian population that
at least one of their own will
represent them.
How can such a plan be
implemented? Why not ask
those officials who will be
meeting on February 9 in
order to redraw the map to
satisfy die objection of the
Attorney General? Our Sena
tor, of course, is Sam Noble.
Incumbent representatives
are David Parnell, Horace
Locklear and Bill Gay. The
Carolina Indian Voice will ask
them for you. As soon as we
find out their answer, we'll
print it for our readers.
We have a right to know...
especially before we cast our
vote after reapportionment
becomes a reality.
THIS ARTICLE MAY
INCLUDE EDITORIAL
OPINION OF THE WRITER
STATE HOUSE
RAfMWnONMENT
Hat, rtii?!?>!!?! T-20,383;
W-8,838; B-8,875; 1-2,578;
0-92. * . i.
Bshsssu p.priatlsoi T-101,
577; W-39,989; B-25490; I
35411; 0-487.
Scotland population) T-32,
273; W-18,746; B-11,361; 1-2,
062; 0-104.
Hoke * Scotland Districts T
52,656; W-27484 (52.4 per
cent); B-20,236 (38.4 percent)
1-4,640 (8.8 percent); 0-196.
Hoke, Scotland ft Bobeaon
Diatrlcti T-154,233; W-67.573
(43.8 percent); B-45,826 (29.7
percent); 1-40,151 (26.0 per
cent); 0-683.
West Robeoeu District]
(Smiths, Maxton, Alfords
villes. Red Springs, Lumber
Bridge, Shannon, Parkton,
Rennert, Saddletree, Phila
deiphus, Pembroke, Burnt
Swamp, Union, Rowland,
Thompson, Back Swamp, Raft
Swamp ft Gaddys): T- 51,065;
W-10,658 (20.9 percent); B
12,032 (20.9 percent); I- 28,
084 (55.0 percent); O- 291.
East Robeson District) (St.
Pauls, East Howellsville,
West Howellsville, Wis harts,
Lumberton, Smyrna, Britts,
Fairmont, Orrum, Marietta
and Steriings):T-50,512; W
29,331 (58.1 percent); B
13,558 (26.8 percent); I- 7,427
(14.7 percent); 0-196.
North Robeson District;
Smiths, Pembroke, Union,
Red Springs, Philadelphus,
Burnt Swamp, Raft Swamp,
Shannon, Rennerti Saddle
tree, Lumber Bridge, Park
ton, St. Pauls, West Howells
ville, East Howellsville, Wis
harts ft Britts): T-50, 535; W
17,160 (34.0 percent); B
9,959 (19.7 percent); I- 23,474
(46.4 percent); 0-306.
South Robeson District) (Ster
lings, Marietta, Fairmont,
Orrum, Gaddys, Rowland,
Alfordsville, Smyrna, Thorn- r
pson. Back Swamp, Maxton ft 4
Lumberton): T- 51. 042; W
22,829 (44.7 percent);. B
15,995 (31.3 percent); I- 12,
037 (23.6 percent); 0-181.
T-Total Populaton.
1-lndian; B-Black; W-White;
O-Other.
ROBESON COUNTY
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