The Legislature Draws the Battle Lines
First, it's crucial to understand who holds the pen. In Rhode Island, the state legislature—known as the General Assembly—is responsible for drawing the boundaries for its two congressional districts. This is a common setup in many states, where the party in power gets the first crack at shaping the political landscape for the next decade. To assist in this complex task, the state often forms a special advisory commission composed of legislators and public members. This commission holds hearings and makes recommendations, but the key word is "advisory." The General Assembly can adopt, modify, or completely ignore the commission's proposals, retaining the ultimate authority to draft the maps.
The Governor's Ultimate Weapon: The Veto
So, if the legislature draws the maps, what can the governor
actually do? A great deal, it turns out. Because congressional maps are passed as a regular piece of legislation, they must land on the governor's desk for a signature. This gives the governor the powerful tool of the veto. If the state's chief executive believes the maps are unfairly drawn—a practice known as gerrymandering—or that they improperly divide communities, they can send them right back to the General Assembly. This veto power is the single most significant, direct check on the legislature's map-drawing authority. For example, after the 2020 census, Governor Dan McKee signed the new maps into law in February 2022 after they were passed by the legislature, demonstrating the final step in this process.
What Happens After a Veto?
A gubernatorial veto isn't necessarily the end of the story. The General Assembly can override the governor's decision. In Rhode Island, this requires a three-fifths vote in both the House and Senate. Given the state's current political makeup, where Democrats hold veto-proof majorities, this is a high but not impossible bar to clear, depending on party unity. If the legislature successfully overrides the veto, the maps become law. If they fail, however, the state is at an impasse. This stalemate often kicks the decision to the judicial branch, where courts may be asked to step in and either mediate the dispute or appoint a special master to draw the maps themselves, taking the power away from both the legislative and executive branches.
The Power of the Bully Pulpit
Beyond the formal power of the veto, a governor can exert considerable influence through informal channels. This is often called using the "bully pulpit." A governor can publicly criticize proposed maps, rally public opinion, and use the media to put pressure on legislative leaders to draw fairer districts from the outset. By shaping the public conversation and threatening a veto early in the process, a governor can often force compromises long before a bill reaches their desk. They can also influence the debate on key criteria, such as how to handle "prison gerrymandering," an issue tackled during the last redistricting cycle where a decision was made to partially count incarcerated individuals at their home addresses.
