Public News Service-NV
August 29, 2011
Petition Drive Targets a 'Monster' of a Problem
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Monster.com, an online company used by thousands of Nevada job-seekers, is the target of a petition drive organized to stop what supporters are calling discrimination against the unemployed. Drive organizers hope to convince Monster.com and similar job-listing websites to stop allowing companies to advertise jobs that prohibit unemployed people from applying.
Kelly Wiedemer, Westminster, Colo., is the author of the petition, which already has nearly 90,000 signatures. She says it puts unemployed workers like her in a bind.
"It's a horrible, horrible situation. Everybody, really, they don't want any form of welfare, so to speak, with unemployment. We want to work."
A spokesman for Monster.com says, "Discrimination based on employment status falls into a legal gray area. Regardless of whether this type of discrimination is legal or not, however, it is certainly unwise." Even so, Monster.com has not banned the practice.
New Jersey already has a law banning job ads that prohibit jobless workers from applying, and Michigan and New York are considering similar legislation. A measure to outlaw the practice has also been introduced in Congress.
The practice of discrimination against the unemployed negates everything a worker has accomplished over a lifetime, Wiedemer says.
"Without saying so, they said that my education, my experience and my background had no value whatsoever."
Wiedemer says she hopes to collect 200,000 signatures in her drive to get websites like Monster and Career Builder to stop taking ads that she says discriminate against people without jobs.
Information about the petition drive is at http://tinyurl.com/3k3x7yr.
Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/21923-1
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
LOBBYIST MESSAGE
Hello Members of the LWVNV
We have been invited to attend the event.
Regards,
Sam King, Grassroots Lobbyist
On Aug 22, 2011, at 7:46 PM, joanne.goodwin@unlv.edu wrote:
Dear Friends, I am writing to let you know about a remarkable and free opportunity that will come to us on September 1 from 5:30-7pm at the UNLV, Greenspun Hall Auditorium.
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, & Dr. Joanne Goodwin, Assoc Prof History, UNLV & Director of the Women's Research Institute of Nevada will be discussing the topic "Shattering the Glass Ceiling: advancing the role of women in government nationally and locally." Each will speak for about 10 minutes and then the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Congresswoman Berkeley has served Nevada's First Congressional District since 1999 and is currently in her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittee on social security. Among the many constituencies she serves, she is also a member of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues.
Dr. Esther Brimmer has served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations since April 2009. Her mission in that position is to advance US interests through international organizations in areas of human rights, peacekeeping, food security, humanitarian relief and climate change.
Dr. Joanne Goodwin is the founding director of the Women's Research Institute of Nevada -- a 12-year old research institute housed in the College of Liberal Arts. Among the institute's many activities have been: reports on the Status of Women in Nevada, partnering with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University to build a civic-engagement and leadership training program for undergraduate college women, and building historical resources on women's involvement in the development of southern Nevada.
Please join us and bring a friend.
For more information, call 895-3401 or contact wrin@unlv.edu.
Joanne L. Goodwin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, History
Director, Women's Research Institute of Nevada
http://wrin.unlv.edu
Gender and the Politics of Welfare Reform
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/13267.ctl
We have been invited to attend the event.
Regards,
Sam King, Grassroots Lobbyist
On Aug 22, 2011, at 7:46 PM, joanne.goodwin@unlv.edu wrote:
Dear Friends, I am writing to let you know about a remarkable and free opportunity that will come to us on September 1 from 5:30-7pm at the UNLV, Greenspun Hall Auditorium.
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, & Dr. Joanne Goodwin, Assoc Prof History, UNLV & Director of the Women's Research Institute of Nevada will be discussing the topic "Shattering the Glass Ceiling: advancing the role of women in government nationally and locally." Each will speak for about 10 minutes and then the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Congresswoman Berkeley has served Nevada's First Congressional District since 1999 and is currently in her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittee on social security. Among the many constituencies she serves, she is also a member of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues.
Dr. Esther Brimmer has served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations since April 2009. Her mission in that position is to advance US interests through international organizations in areas of human rights, peacekeeping, food security, humanitarian relief and climate change.
Dr. Joanne Goodwin is the founding director of the Women's Research Institute of Nevada -- a 12-year old research institute housed in the College of Liberal Arts. Among the institute's many activities have been: reports on the Status of Women in Nevada, partnering with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University to build a civic-engagement and leadership training program for undergraduate college women, and building historical resources on women's involvement in the development of southern Nevada.
Please join us and bring a friend.
For more information, call 895-3401 or contact wrin@unlv.edu.
Joanne L. Goodwin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, History
Director, Women's Research Institute of Nevada
http://wrin.unlv.edu
Gender and the Politics of Welfare Reform
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/13267.ctl
Sunday, August 21, 2011
LOBBYIST MESSAGE
Greetings from Sam King, LWVNV Grassroots Lobbyist.
The League of Women Voters of Nevada's mission is to promote political responsibility through information, education, active participation and advocacy. The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan and encourages collaboration of like-minded groups while actively reaching out to those who have a different perspective. The League of Women Voters of Nevada's voice was heard during the 2011 Nevada Legislative Session and we continue our advocacy long after the legislature adjourned as we promote issues related to our Four E's: Elections, Education, the Environment and the Economy. We are watching the national health care debate and following social service programs hit by budget cuts within Nevada. Election and campaign finance issues were addressed in the 2011 legislation aimed to foster transparency and voter access to information. Education reform continues to be debated as new regulations passed in 2011 impact instructors, students and how student achievement is measured. The Federal No Child Left Behind Act and role of the federal government in public education reform is a national work in progress. The environment and sustainable communities are linchpins to economic growth. The elephant in the room continues to be Nevada Tax policy. Interestingly tax policy is a national problem too. A disappointment this session was the failure of the Nevada Legislature to redistrict our representative districts for the United States Congress and the Nevada Assembly as mandated by the United States Constitution reflecting the results of the Census.
The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley continues to follow Nevada redistricting as the process moves through the Court. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley has been invited by Judge Russell to participate in the judicial redistricting process as an intervener. We are represented by LWVLVV member, Denise A. Pifer, Esq. A summary of the action is outlined below.
In our motion to intervene, we urged the Court to review the two Congressional District plans proposed by the Public and posted on NELIS (now located at http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Districts/Reapp/2011/PubProposals.cfm after a recent restructuring of the legislative website). Redistricting must be constructed using geographic boundaries, major streets and highways, county and state borders, and other easily identifiable features as boundaries to avoid gerrymandering, and provide that proposed districts are contiguous and compact.
Plans will have partisan characteristics but should not be overtly partisan.
Plan 3 was developed by starting at the intersection of US Highway 95 and Las Vegas Boulevard, then proceeding to sweep around the county (using major streets and highways as boundaries) to include the correct population numbers in each segment. The ideal target population for a Nevada Congressional District based on the 2010 Census is 675,138. Clark County can contain two complete Districts, plus about 600,000 left over for another District. By considering only total population, ignoring demographics and party registration, population totals for the proposed Districts are 675,544 for CD-1, 675,806 for CD-3, and 675,034 for CD-4. The variances between these totals and the ideal target population are well within limits based on Supreme Court cases cited in our filings with the Court.
CD-4 in Plan 3 is heavily Democratic, and essentially balances the heavily Republican CD-2. Its population is 37.6% Hispanic, compared to a statewide value of 26.5%, and 13.4% African American, compared to a statewide value of 7.7%. One could consider this a majority-minority district, but only by lumping Hispanics and African Americans into a single “minority” group.
Bottom line of Plan 3: it produces one “safe” Republican District, one “safe” Democratic District, and two competitive Districts.
Plan 2 was developed by changing the boundaries between CD-1, CD-3, and CD-4 within Clark County. Without going into detail, these changes make all three of these Congressional Districts competitive, and do not pack minorities.
In keeping with the League’s general objective of maximizing fairness and competitiveness, we believe and urge the Special Masters to give careful consideration to precedent.
Education Reform
. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley has traditionally relied upon studies to develop our positions. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley is conducting a study on the role of the federal government and public education. Jane Newton is the Chair of this study. There is no simple solution which will fix the system of public education. Nevertheless there must be proactive, consistent forward thinking in all efforts to improve public education while respecting that fundamental basics are necessary to create a literate citizenry. The founding fathers, more than two hundred years ago, understood that a literate population is necessary for our democratic system to prevail In the 21st Century we are struggling to promote literacy and adequate equitable education for all students. In Clark County,Superintendent Jones has been fleshing out his reorganization of the district into performance zones and crafting his vision for improving student achievement into Clark County School District Operations. Clark County School District is facing a budget shortfall which reflects the Nevada economic landscape. How the Clark County Board of Trustees works with Central Office and employees on addressing budget cuts will be defining for the 2011-2012 school year and the future The concept of a growth model to measure achievement will be something that the state system of public education embraces as an alternative to the measures of the No Child Left Behind Act. The 2011 Legislature passed laws to restructure the State Board of Education. Governor Sandoval will have more oversight and input in the system of K-12 public education as will the legislature rather than an elected board. All in all, as a state and as a nation, too many students are at-risk of falling behind. This failure in public education began in twentieth century and unfortunately continues to escalate in the twenty first century. Improving education is critical to our quality of life,system of government and economic future. The jury is out as to how these reforms will be implemented and as to what lies ahead for K-12 education in Nevada and nationally.
Respectfully
Sam King
The League of Women Voters of Nevada's mission is to promote political responsibility through information, education, active participation and advocacy. The League of Women Voters is nonpartisan and encourages collaboration of like-minded groups while actively reaching out to those who have a different perspective. The League of Women Voters of Nevada's voice was heard during the 2011 Nevada Legislative Session and we continue our advocacy long after the legislature adjourned as we promote issues related to our Four E's: Elections, Education, the Environment and the Economy. We are watching the national health care debate and following social service programs hit by budget cuts within Nevada. Election and campaign finance issues were addressed in the 2011 legislation aimed to foster transparency and voter access to information. Education reform continues to be debated as new regulations passed in 2011 impact instructors, students and how student achievement is measured. The Federal No Child Left Behind Act and role of the federal government in public education reform is a national work in progress. The environment and sustainable communities are linchpins to economic growth. The elephant in the room continues to be Nevada Tax policy. Interestingly tax policy is a national problem too. A disappointment this session was the failure of the Nevada Legislature to redistrict our representative districts for the United States Congress and the Nevada Assembly as mandated by the United States Constitution reflecting the results of the Census.
The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley continues to follow Nevada redistricting as the process moves through the Court. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley has been invited by Judge Russell to participate in the judicial redistricting process as an intervener. We are represented by LWVLVV member, Denise A. Pifer, Esq. A summary of the action is outlined below.
In our motion to intervene, we urged the Court to review the two Congressional District plans proposed by the Public and posted on NELIS (now located at http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Districts/Reapp/2011/PubProposals.cfm after a recent restructuring of the legislative website). Redistricting must be constructed using geographic boundaries, major streets and highways, county and state borders, and other easily identifiable features as boundaries to avoid gerrymandering, and provide that proposed districts are contiguous and compact.
Plans will have partisan characteristics but should not be overtly partisan.
Plan 3 was developed by starting at the intersection of US Highway 95 and Las Vegas Boulevard, then proceeding to sweep around the county (using major streets and highways as boundaries) to include the correct population numbers in each segment. The ideal target population for a Nevada Congressional District based on the 2010 Census is 675,138. Clark County can contain two complete Districts, plus about 600,000 left over for another District. By considering only total population, ignoring demographics and party registration, population totals for the proposed Districts are 675,544 for CD-1, 675,806 for CD-3, and 675,034 for CD-4. The variances between these totals and the ideal target population are well within limits based on Supreme Court cases cited in our filings with the Court.
CD-4 in Plan 3 is heavily Democratic, and essentially balances the heavily Republican CD-2. Its population is 37.6% Hispanic, compared to a statewide value of 26.5%, and 13.4% African American, compared to a statewide value of 7.7%. One could consider this a majority-minority district, but only by lumping Hispanics and African Americans into a single “minority” group.
Bottom line of Plan 3: it produces one “safe” Republican District, one “safe” Democratic District, and two competitive Districts.
Plan 2 was developed by changing the boundaries between CD-1, CD-3, and CD-4 within Clark County. Without going into detail, these changes make all three of these Congressional Districts competitive, and do not pack minorities.
In keeping with the League’s general objective of maximizing fairness and competitiveness, we believe and urge the Special Masters to give careful consideration to precedent.
Education Reform
. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley has traditionally relied upon studies to develop our positions. The League of Women Voters of Las Vegas Valley is conducting a study on the role of the federal government and public education. Jane Newton is the Chair of this study. There is no simple solution which will fix the system of public education. Nevertheless there must be proactive, consistent forward thinking in all efforts to improve public education while respecting that fundamental basics are necessary to create a literate citizenry. The founding fathers, more than two hundred years ago, understood that a literate population is necessary for our democratic system to prevail In the 21st Century we are struggling to promote literacy and adequate equitable education for all students. In Clark County,Superintendent Jones has been fleshing out his reorganization of the district into performance zones and crafting his vision for improving student achievement into Clark County School District Operations. Clark County School District is facing a budget shortfall which reflects the Nevada economic landscape. How the Clark County Board of Trustees works with Central Office and employees on addressing budget cuts will be defining for the 2011-2012 school year and the future The concept of a growth model to measure achievement will be something that the state system of public education embraces as an alternative to the measures of the No Child Left Behind Act. The 2011 Legislature passed laws to restructure the State Board of Education. Governor Sandoval will have more oversight and input in the system of K-12 public education as will the legislature rather than an elected board. All in all, as a state and as a nation, too many students are at-risk of falling behind. This failure in public education began in twentieth century and unfortunately continues to escalate in the twenty first century. Improving education is critical to our quality of life,system of government and economic future. The jury is out as to how these reforms will be implemented and as to what lies ahead for K-12 education in Nevada and nationally.
Respectfully
Sam King
Monday, August 8, 2011
LOBBYIST MESSAGE
NEVADA CONSERVATION LEAGUE
August is shaping up to be a VERY BUSY MONTH for Nevada Conservation League and our supporters. Whether you would like to learn more about clean energy, speak up to protect Nevada’s precious water resources, or simply learn more about what’s happening across the state, Nevada Conservation League is here to help. Also, be on the lookout for our various action alerts as Congress continues to discuss critical environmental protections and key conservation programs.
Protecting Nevada takes a lot of time and to continue our outreach and advocacy efforts, we need your help.
Make a contribution to Nevada Conservation League Education Fund TODAY and show your support for our state and our work. A gift of $5, $10, $20, or whatever you can give would be AWESOME!
Where are we going to be this month? Check it out!
National Clean Energy Summit 4.0: The Future of Energy - August 30th at 9 a.m.
Aria Casino & Resort at CityCenter, Las Vegas
This summit will bring together the nation's top minds to chart the course for the future of energy in America. We’ll be mixing it up with renewable energy developers, public lands advocates, and key players in the President’s administration. Visit the Clean Energy Project Nevada website for more details.
Lake Tahoe Summit - August 16th at 9 a.m.
Homewood Mountain Resort, CA
With the passage of Senate Bill 271 – which could lead to Nevada’s withdrawal from the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact – protecting this national treasure has never been more important. We’ll be there to meet with key stakeholders throughout the basin. Learn more about our work on SB 271 here.
Geothermal Conference – August 16th & 17th
Grand Sierra Resort, Reno
This conference will highlight some of the best conservation practices on public lands being employed by the geothermal industry, a huge part of our clean energy future in Nevada. NCL Board Member Paul Thomsen is one of the organizers. Check out his blog about geothermal here.
BLM Public Comment Meetings on the Proposed Water Pipeline
August 15th at 4 p.m. – Henderson Convention Center, 200 Water Street
August 18th at 3 p.m. – Sparks High School Large Gym, 820 15th Street
*More Meetings Held Statewide
This is your opportunity to voice your opposition to SNWA’s expensive groundwater development which overestimates the water needs of Southern Nevada and underestimates the negative impact on the Great Basin.
LWVM Advocate/Lobbyist - Sam King
August is shaping up to be a VERY BUSY MONTH for Nevada Conservation League and our supporters. Whether you would like to learn more about clean energy, speak up to protect Nevada’s precious water resources, or simply learn more about what’s happening across the state, Nevada Conservation League is here to help. Also, be on the lookout for our various action alerts as Congress continues to discuss critical environmental protections and key conservation programs.
Protecting Nevada takes a lot of time and to continue our outreach and advocacy efforts, we need your help.
Make a contribution to Nevada Conservation League Education Fund TODAY and show your support for our state and our work. A gift of $5, $10, $20, or whatever you can give would be AWESOME!
Where are we going to be this month? Check it out!
National Clean Energy Summit 4.0: The Future of Energy - August 30th at 9 a.m.
Aria Casino & Resort at CityCenter, Las Vegas
This summit will bring together the nation's top minds to chart the course for the future of energy in America. We’ll be mixing it up with renewable energy developers, public lands advocates, and key players in the President’s administration. Visit the Clean Energy Project Nevada website for more details.
Lake Tahoe Summit - August 16th at 9 a.m.
Homewood Mountain Resort, CA
With the passage of Senate Bill 271 – which could lead to Nevada’s withdrawal from the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact – protecting this national treasure has never been more important. We’ll be there to meet with key stakeholders throughout the basin. Learn more about our work on SB 271 here.
Geothermal Conference – August 16th & 17th
Grand Sierra Resort, Reno
This conference will highlight some of the best conservation practices on public lands being employed by the geothermal industry, a huge part of our clean energy future in Nevada. NCL Board Member Paul Thomsen is one of the organizers. Check out his blog about geothermal here.
BLM Public Comment Meetings on the Proposed Water Pipeline
August 15th at 4 p.m. – Henderson Convention Center, 200 Water Street
August 18th at 3 p.m. – Sparks High School Large Gym, 820 15th Street
*More Meetings Held Statewide
This is your opportunity to voice your opposition to SNWA’s expensive groundwater development which overestimates the water needs of Southern Nevada and underestimates the negative impact on the Great Basin.
LWVM Advocate/Lobbyist - Sam King
Thursday, August 4, 2011
LOBBYIST MESSAGE
LOBBYIST MESSAGE The latest!
Hearing set on legality of creating Hispanic congressional district
By Laura Myers
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Aug. 3, 2011 | 4:44 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 3, 2011 | 8:00 p.m.
Saying he wanted to "remove politics from this process," a state district judge on Wednesday named a three-member panel with no politicians to draw Nevada's new electoral maps for the first time in state history.
The "special masters" panel includes Alan Glover, the Carson City clerk-recorder, Las Vegas attorney Thomas Sheets and Robert Erickson, a retired research director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau who helped with past rounds of redistricting dating back to 1981.
Judge James Russell also said he would decide the sticky legal issues first before giving the panel the job of outlining Nevada's 42 legislative and four congressional districts, including a new one the state won because its population grew to 2.7 million people in the latest U.S. census.
The most controversial legal and political question is whether Hispanics merit a congressional district with a majority Latino population. He set a Sept. 19 hearing to decide that issue and others such as how to consider where incumbents live and what the starting point will be for drawing the new maps.
Once those legal and political issues are decided -- perhaps by the Nevada Supreme Court -- drawing the new maps could take as little as a week or two, said members of the panel.
"As soon as they settle the legal questions, this will give us a road map to follow and we can go from there," Glover said in an interview. "Technically, it could be done in a couple of weeks."
Erickson, who helped the public use computers to draw hypothetical maps in Las Vegas for the Legislative Counsel Bureau this past session, said he was looking forward to the task. He retired in 2004, but has been called back each biennial session to work and splits his time between Carson City and Las Vegas.
"I'm a geographer by training, and I really know the state so this is going to be great," Erickson said. "I love maps. I'm not intimidated by the mapping. I'm kind of excited about it."
As for politics, Glover served in the Nevada Legislature as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party four or five years ago so he could vote in a GOP primary.
In 1981, he chaired the Assembly committee that handled redistricting when Nevada won a 2nd congressional seat because of population growth. Another spurt won the state a 3rd district in 2001.
Erickson said he has been a registered non-partisan in Nevada for as long as he can remember after moving to the state in 1973. He worked for state government for two dozens years.
"My wife thinks I used to be a Republican. I think I used to be a Democrat," Erickson joked. "We don't really know. I would hope this is going to be a technical process, putting these districts together."
Glover and Erickson were both recommended for the panel by Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat. The judge rejected his political suggestions for the panel, including former U.S. Sen. and Gov. Richard Bryan, a Democrat, and former state Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno.
The judge also ignored all the panel suggestions by both political parties, who filed the lawsuits that put redistricting in the courts after GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed two Democratic plans.
Judge Russell on his own selected Sheets, the Las Vegas attorney who used to be chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission. He adds a Southern Nevada element to the panel.
Russell said he expected criticism.
"It was and is the intent of the court to attempt to remove politics from this process to the extent possible," Russell wrote in his order. "The court is not naive and understands that no matter who is appointed as special master, there will be criticism and comments, whether justified or not."
Attorneys for both the Republican and Democratic parties had asked the judge to determine whether the Voting Rights Act requires the state to draw one congressional district with a majority of Hispanics -- now 26 percent of Nevada's population -- so they have a better chance to elect a Latino representative. The GOP believes the law calls for giving the minority group that right. Democrats argue it's a violation of the act to determine district outlines based primarily on ethnicity.
What's at stake is which political party controls the four U.S. House seats. If Hispanics get their own district, it will be in Clark County and heavily Democratic. That would leave one other Democratic-friendly district and a Republican-friendly district in Southern Nevada. The Northern and rural Nevada District would likely remain GOP-leaning for an overall 2-2 House split by party.
If Latinos don't get their own district, Democrats will be more evenly spread out among the three Southern Nevada House seats, giving their party the advantage in two and making the third competitive, as is the swing 3rd Congressional District now held by U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev.
Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.
Hearing set on legality of creating Hispanic congressional district
By Laura Myers
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Aug. 3, 2011 | 4:44 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 3, 2011 | 8:00 p.m.
Saying he wanted to "remove politics from this process," a state district judge on Wednesday named a three-member panel with no politicians to draw Nevada's new electoral maps for the first time in state history.
The "special masters" panel includes Alan Glover, the Carson City clerk-recorder, Las Vegas attorney Thomas Sheets and Robert Erickson, a retired research director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau who helped with past rounds of redistricting dating back to 1981.
Judge James Russell also said he would decide the sticky legal issues first before giving the panel the job of outlining Nevada's 42 legislative and four congressional districts, including a new one the state won because its population grew to 2.7 million people in the latest U.S. census.
The most controversial legal and political question is whether Hispanics merit a congressional district with a majority Latino population. He set a Sept. 19 hearing to decide that issue and others such as how to consider where incumbents live and what the starting point will be for drawing the new maps.
Once those legal and political issues are decided -- perhaps by the Nevada Supreme Court -- drawing the new maps could take as little as a week or two, said members of the panel.
"As soon as they settle the legal questions, this will give us a road map to follow and we can go from there," Glover said in an interview. "Technically, it could be done in a couple of weeks."
Erickson, who helped the public use computers to draw hypothetical maps in Las Vegas for the Legislative Counsel Bureau this past session, said he was looking forward to the task. He retired in 2004, but has been called back each biennial session to work and splits his time between Carson City and Las Vegas.
"I'm a geographer by training, and I really know the state so this is going to be great," Erickson said. "I love maps. I'm not intimidated by the mapping. I'm kind of excited about it."
As for politics, Glover served in the Nevada Legislature as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party four or five years ago so he could vote in a GOP primary.
In 1981, he chaired the Assembly committee that handled redistricting when Nevada won a 2nd congressional seat because of population growth. Another spurt won the state a 3rd district in 2001.
Erickson said he has been a registered non-partisan in Nevada for as long as he can remember after moving to the state in 1973. He worked for state government for two dozens years.
"My wife thinks I used to be a Republican. I think I used to be a Democrat," Erickson joked. "We don't really know. I would hope this is going to be a technical process, putting these districts together."
Glover and Erickson were both recommended for the panel by Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat. The judge rejected his political suggestions for the panel, including former U.S. Sen. and Gov. Richard Bryan, a Democrat, and former state Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno.
The judge also ignored all the panel suggestions by both political parties, who filed the lawsuits that put redistricting in the courts after GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed two Democratic plans.
Judge Russell on his own selected Sheets, the Las Vegas attorney who used to be chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission. He adds a Southern Nevada element to the panel.
Russell said he expected criticism.
"It was and is the intent of the court to attempt to remove politics from this process to the extent possible," Russell wrote in his order. "The court is not naive and understands that no matter who is appointed as special master, there will be criticism and comments, whether justified or not."
Attorneys for both the Republican and Democratic parties had asked the judge to determine whether the Voting Rights Act requires the state to draw one congressional district with a majority of Hispanics -- now 26 percent of Nevada's population -- so they have a better chance to elect a Latino representative. The GOP believes the law calls for giving the minority group that right. Democrats argue it's a violation of the act to determine district outlines based primarily on ethnicity.
What's at stake is which political party controls the four U.S. House seats. If Hispanics get their own district, it will be in Clark County and heavily Democratic. That would leave one other Democratic-friendly district and a Republican-friendly district in Southern Nevada. The Northern and rural Nevada District would likely remain GOP-leaning for an overall 2-2 House split by party.
If Latinos don't get their own district, Democrats will be more evenly spread out among the three Southern Nevada House seats, giving their party the advantage in two and making the third competitive, as is the swing 3rd Congressional District now held by U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev.
Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.
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