Proposed Amendment to the Constitution - Congressional Districting

I’ve talked about it several times, but it’s time I finally get a version written so that folks can refer back to it.  I’ll provide commentary and support for the following at a later point.

Proposed Amendment to the Constitution - Congressional Districting

Section 1.  

The geographic districts from which Representatives are to be drawn from within each of the several States shall be determined by the legislatures thereof, and must demonstrate a good faith effort to provide substantially equal representation among the various districts for Representatives within that State, except as otherwise provided in this article or the Constitution.

Section 2.

The geographic boundaries of the district for any Representative shall be aligned with the boundaries of the immediate contiguous sub-jurisdictions of the State in which the district lies, either individually or in combination, such that no district for a Representative results in a division of an immediate contiguous sub-jurisdiction of the State, excepting that if a sufficient proportion of the population of said sub-jurisdiction is sufficient to warrant one or more Representatives on its own in order to provide substantially equal representation among the various districts for Representatives within that State.  A contiguous sub-jurisdiction having such ample population, in relation to the other districts for Representatives for that State, that multiple Representatives are warranted, may then be divided in such a manner as the State legislature of the State in which the district lies may direct.  Under no circumstances may a district for Representatives be comprised of a portion of one immediate contiguous sub-jurisdiction of a State in combination with another whole or portion of another immediate contiguous sub-jurisdiction of that State.

Section 3

No State may modify or amend the geographic boundaries of it’s immediate contiguous sub-jurisdictions without approval of Congress.  Congress shall determine the whole number of Representatives to to be apportioned among the several States by a 2/3 majority of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Section 4

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.