Two celebrities backed by a national anti-political corruption group have released videos urging Utahns to vote for Proposition 4, an anti-gerrymandering initiative.
Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence and Ed Helms, known for playing Andy Bernard in “The Office,” have both released short videos through the group RepresentUs.
“I think gerrymandering is wrong. Voters should chose their politicians. Politicians should not choose their voters. Proposition 4 stops gerrymandering,” Lawrence says in the video. “This November, say no to gerrymandering by voting yes on Prop 4.”
In Helms' video he says that politicians “literally choose who votes for them,” because they draw their own districts. That is called gerrymandering, he said.
“Is that a word that makes me giggle? Yes, it is,” he said, “But it’s also terrible for democracy.”
If Proposition 4 is approved by voters, when the state Legislature redraws electoral districts after the 2020 census, they will do so with guidance from an independent, unelected redistricting commission.
Supporters say the proposition will fix a broken redistricting system, while opponents have said the initiative is unconstitutional because it interferes with the Legislature’s redistricting process — and that it is politically motivated to help Democrats.
The celebrities have released similar videos directed at voters in other states, including Michigan and Maine.
Follow @PaightenHarkins