Wanna Solve Gerrymandering?

Okay, we are all tired of the whining about how our congressional, state senate and state representatives' districts look.

Every 10 years, commissions get set up to "look" at the problem and decide what to do. We still get something that "looks" like a frat house floor after a party.

How about this -- a contest?

Or better yet -- an election?

Here is how it works:

After the next census is taken, the clock starts -- 90 days. Anyone from anywhere in the state can draw the map they would like. The map would have to respect numerical constraints (size) and other "constitutional" constraints (that always seem to get ignored). There would be congressional, senate and representative categories. Given the amount of data and modeling software available creating these maps is hard work, but doable.

All submitted maps can be entered onto a state-sponsored web site for display. The next 90 days would be spent determining the best 10 to go to the next level. That is done via a petition process, like the ones used to run for office. Each voter gets five choices as to the maps they like best. Taking 10 and asking for five choices eliminates the idea of stuffing the ballot box for a particular map.

In the next primary election EVERYONE will get to decide among the 10 best maps in each category. The top three will make it to the general election for final approval by the voters.

Each of the three map winners get bragging rights, a cash prize (yes -- it is worthy use of tax dollars) and a trophy that will get passed to the next census.

This isn't that difficult.