INDIANAPOLIS — Billboards are starting to go up around the state, encouraging Hoosiers to take action against possible redistricting. On Tuesday, several Indiana Republican lawmakers traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Trump Administration amidst growing pressure to call a special session to redistrict Indiana’s congressional maps. WRTV’s Amber Grigley spoke with MADVoters who said they are fighting to stand up for democracy.
"We as Hoosiers, as Americans, we have to come together, and we have to push back as hard as we've ever pushed back against anything in our lives. It's really that important," Amy Courtney, Executive Director of MADVoters expressed.
It's the most important message Courtney said is behind several billboards across the state.
“Two Democrats and seven Republican congressmen, and depending on how that gets reshuffled, we could end up losing one or even both of the Democratic seats. And so, what it's really doing it's stealing Hoosier votes and silencing our voices," Courtney said.
This billboard is near the airport, which Republican lawmakers may pass by on Tuesday, as they leave for Washington D.C. to speak with the Trump administration about a request to call a special session to redistrict Indiana maps.
"What we're seeing here is really history repeating itself. We've seen this in other countries, and this is part of the authoritarian playbook, and it's really working toward rigging this next election so that the current administration or regime, as I call it, can stay in power indefinitely," Courtney said.
Courtney said that after watching redistricting conversations play out in Texas and California, and now watching Indiana step into the conversation, it is extremely alarming.
"What the Texas representatives, what the Texas legislators did was really call attention to it. And so, if we can't stop them, we can slow them down and we can be sure to shine a light on what they're doing to make sure that Americans see that this is not OK," Courtney said.
Amy said MADVoters is in the process of creating a statehouse response team if a special election is called. Amber reached out to Indiana Republicans for comment and has not heard back.
