For Immediate Release
Monday, April 11, 2022
Contact: Morgan Dick, mdick@azdem.org

ADP Files Complaint with AG, Urges Investigation of IRC Republican Gerrymandering

Phoenix – This morning the Arizona Democratic Party filed a formal complaint against the 2021 Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) with AZ Attorney General Mark Brnovich. The ADP is requesting a formal investigation into several credible allegations of constitutional violations by the IRC’s Republican Commissioners.

The complaint letter, which can be accessed here, lays out evidence pointing to an alleged effort by Republican Commissioners David Mehl and Douglas York to gerrymander the Arizona legislative map, with the goal of protecting GOP incumbents. In 2000, Arizona voters created the IRC via the passage of Prop 106, amending the state’s constitution to establish one of the first independent redistricting commissions in the nation – and prohibiting the consideration of incumbents when drawing new districts.

“While Arizona’s previous IRCs have been the subject of intense scrutiny from the Governor’s office, the legislature, and the Attorney General, the widely-reported allegations of unconstitutional misconduct by Commissioners Mehl and York have, apparently, gone completely unexamined,” said ADP Executive Director Charlie Fisher. “It’s disheartening that we have an Attorney General who was willing to initiate a “Sharpie-gate” investigation on the basis of Twitter anecdotes, while well-documented and reported issues that occurred during the independent redistricting process are ignored.”

“We urge AG Brnovich, as the state’s top law enforcement officer, to stand up for Arizona voters. For over 20 years Arizona has been a trailblazer for fair, independent redistricting. It is the duty of the Attorney General to enforce the rule of law, and ensure that the IRC is upholding the integrity of the Arizona Constitution.”

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