Lone Democrat votes against HR1

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Every Democrat but one voted late March 3 for H.R. 1, a massive voting reform bill that has drawn harsh criticism from the GOP.

Every Republican voted against the bill. They were joined by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).

Thompson told The Epoch Times that he heard from constituents who opposed certain portions of the legislation.

“My constituents opposed the redistricting portion of the bill as well as the section on public finances. I always listen and vote in the interest of my constituents,” he said in an emailed statement.

H.R. 1 would require congressional redistricting to be conducted through independent commissions, or a three-judge court.

Membership on the commissions would be open to any citizen of the state through an application process, barring people who have held or hold office, candidates for office, and people who have worked on political campaigns.

Six members would be chosen by “a nonpartisan agency established or designated by a State,” the bill states.

Two from each party, and two independents, would be chosen on a random basis from the approved selection pool.

Those members would then appoint three other members from each of the two major parties and three independents.

Commission members would be banned from “drawing maps to favor a political property” and would be required to meet other criteria in deciding where lines go. They would also have to hear from the public before approving a final map.

The legislation would also prohibit mid-decade redistricting.