Lafayette anticipates 2010 redistricting
by RICHARD BURGESS - Advocate (excerpt)

LAFAYETTE — A political analyst told local officials Friday that they should begin pushing legislators now to ensure that Acadiana gets a fair shake in redistricting after the 2010 census.

“When it’s time to redistribute money and power, this area should win,” said Shreveport political analyst and demographer Elliot Stonecipher. Lafayette’s growth should bring better representation and more resources, but redistricting in the hands of the legislature has often been criticized as focusing more on incumbents trying to hold on to power and territory.

“This process is messy and non-representative in the best of circumstances. In an atmosphere of scarcity, it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Stonecipher said.