Twenty Democrats appointed to Bipartisan Citizens Commissions
Alex Schupp
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. – Governor Parson publicly announced his appointments to the Bipartisan Citizens Commissions for House and Senate redistricting Friday. Among the 40 total appointees are 20 highly qualified Missouri Democrats dedicated to developing fair and equitable legislative maps and working to end the GOP’s gerrymandered districts designed to silence our voices based on what we look like, where we come from and how much money we have.
Senate
Farrakhan Shegog
Nicole Greer
Mike Frame
Kevin Rusnak
Andrea Flinders
Joni Wickham
Randy Alberhasky
Lee Asher
Matt Dameron
Susan Montee
House
Keena Smith
Harvey Ferdman
Mark Schoeperkkoetter
Jason Ludwig
Mellissa Paterson-Hazley
Penny Adams
Laura Cox
Mike Moroni
Rick Shang
Kay Mills
This group of appointees will collectively work together recognizing that the districts drawn will determine how we will be represented and how funds for schools, hospitals, and other essential services will be allocated. We come together every decade to draw new district lines that give each of our votes equal weight, each of our voices equal stature, and each of our communities equal resources. Republicans are attempting to hide behind the slogan of “one person, one vote,” so children (17 and under) are not counted. This misrepresentation of the population negatively impacts minority communities and threatens not only fair redistricting, but our democracy. As Democrats we respect the wishes of the voters who passed “Clean Missouri” in 2018 with the backing of 62% of us, yet the Missouri Republicans overrode the will of the voters to preserve their power.
The 20 Democratic appointees draw the line with power-hungry politicians trying to divide our communities in an attempt to silence us and will band together across race and place to ensure our communities thrive for the next decade and the generations to follow.
