Third Party Groups Monitoring The Redistricting Process In Alaska -Maps In Today[Updated Slightly]

In addition to the two maps the Board approved last Thursday, the Board solicited maps from third parties.  In this post I thought I'd let you know which groups submitted maps and give a little background.  The benefit of third party maps is that they can show the Board, possibly, alternative ways to meet the various criteria, sometimes better than the Board's maps.  After the final maps the Board approves in November, third parties can use their maps to demonstrate in court that there are better ways to remap the districts.  Then the judges have to decide.  

Several groups have been watching the redistricting process.  I've been aware of a few of them.  The Board has agreed to share these other maps with their own proposed plan adopted Thursday, September 9, 2021.   This has been the practice in previous redistricting rounds.  I don't remember the exact language the Board used, but they have said they would share all the 'reasonable' (my word)  maps submitted.  I suspect that means that meet the various federal and state requirements.  Ultimately, they all want to be sure their interests are met in the final maps.  

Here are the organizations that have submitted maps by Wednesday's noon deadline. 

• AFFR
• Doyon/Sealaska "Coalition" [UPDATE Sept 16, 2021 11:30am:   Coalition of Doyon, Limited; Tanana Chiefs Conference; Fairbanks Native Association; Sealaska; and Ahtna]
• AFFER
• Mat-Su Borough
• Alaska Democratic Party
• Alaska Senate Minority

Alaskans For Fair Redistricting (AFFR)

From their website: 

"Alaskans For Fair Redistricting (AFFR) is a coalition of Alaska Native groups, organized labor, public interest and community organizations. AFFR was created amid the 2000 redistricting process to ensure an equitable map for the people of Alaska. AFFR’s membership includes redistricting veterans who have a clear scope of the necessary strategic process and data aggregation needed to achieve an equitable map. In addition, AFFR leadership is focused on community-driven collaboration, finding ways to make both the maps submitted as well as the coalition process reflective of and driven by Alaska’s communities who are often at most risk of disenfranchisement throughout the redistricting process--specifically, rural Alaska Native communities, and urban communities of color."

The Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AkPirg) is one of their financial supporters.   

Doyon/Sealaska Coalition [UPDATED Sept 16, 11:30am:  Coalition of Doyon, Limited; Tanana Chiefs Conference; Fairbanks Native Association; Sealaska; and Ahtna]

From Doyon Native Corporation  website page on land:

Under the provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Doyon will receive approximately 12.5 million acres across Interior Alaska. To date Doyon has received title to just over 11.5 million acres, primarily around the 34 villages within our region. 

From Seaalaska's website:

"Headquartered in Juneau, Alaska, Sealaska owns and manages 362,000 acres of land on behalf of more than 23,000 shareholders. Sealaska’s land holdings in Southeast Alaska are roughly 1.6% of the traditional homelands that the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people have inhabited for more than 10,000 years." 

 Doyon has had a group monitoring the process and working on their own maps.  They have voiced an interest in having their villages in districts that maximize their representation in Juneau.  Their President and CEO Aaron Shutt has testified before the board in Anchorage and their Senior Vice President, External Affairs Sarah Obed has testified over the phone.  

Alaskans For Fair and Equitable Redistricting (AFFER)

This group was led by Randy Ruedrich, former president of the Republican Party in the 2010 round of redistricting.  I've been told they're active again this time, but I can't find any web presence.  I did see Ruedrich at the first public meeting in Anchorage.  I was thinking that AFFER had probably helped Board Member Marcum draw her map, particularly the Anchorage districts, that the Board approved in its proposal.  Seems I'm not the only one thinking that.  Rep. Zack Fields (whose district was combined with two other Democratic reps) tweeted today: 

"Pretty straightforward: Bethany Marcum drew map V1 based on Randy's guidance, clear partisan gerrymander with singular goal of adding R seats and districting Dems together at expense of compactness, socioeconomic integration."

Mat-Su Borough

When I got this information from Peter Torkelson today, he mentioned that at the first look the Matsu map, it seemed identical to AFFER's map.  If I recall right, there were a lot of overlaps between AFFER's 2011 maps and an Anchorage map submitted by some members of the Anchorage Assembly.  

Alaska Democratic Party

While there have been Alaska Democrats at Board meetings, I don't recall them identifying themselves as representing the party when they testified.  

Alaska Senate Minority

Sen. Tom Begich (D) gave a preview of their maps at testimony last week.  Begich, like Ruedrich, were present at most of the Board meetings in 2011-2013.  

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

Here's there guide "Fair Redistricting in Indian Country"

Here's their online Alaska Redistricting document.

They have links to all their 990 tax reports here and a note about their funding:

"NARF receives financial support from individuals, corporations, foundations, government agencies, religious groups, and tribal organizations. NARF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so contributions are tax-deductible. Fee arrangements are negotiated with clients having the ability to pay."

NARF monitors the redistricting to make sure Alaska Native representation is fair.  They have not submitted a map.