Erie County recently wrapped up its redistricting process, but not before allegations of gerrymandering were cast by both parties, lawsuits were filed and the responsibility for the final decision fell to a federal judge.

The state legislative redistricting process could follow a similar path. Now the majorities in the Senate and Assembly draw the district lines, but there have been calls to give that responsibility to an independent commission instead.

Accusations of gerrymandering are already flying, and some residents are afraid that their new district won’t provide them with the same level of representation.

“Clearly, the responsible thing to do is appoint an independent entity to redraw the lines. The interests of the people and concerns over how to best serve them should rule the day, while political protection and obstructionism must be wiped clear of the slate.” If that sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve said it before. It’s a quote from a Bee editorial focused on county redistricting, but it’s no less appropriate now. An independent redistricting commission would have the freedom to act separately from political concerns and to make decisions in the interest of constituents rather than to preserve political power.

At the very least it will remove some of the appearance of bias. At most it will eliminate real and destructive partisanship.

There is unlikely to be a redistricting process that makes everyone happy. Sometimes one resident’s interests are in conflict with another. The best scenario for both is a fair and balanced system of representation. We don’t live in a fantasy world where everyone wins every time, but it shouldn’t be too much to ask that the process of choosing how citizens will be represented be as transparent, as fair and as objective as possible.

Redistricting in the Erie County Legislature sailed into the ridiculous last year, as Democrats and Republicans both made power plays to best serve the interests of the sitting legislators. As ugly as it got — and it was pretty bad — that was nothing compared to what we’re setting up to see on the state level this year. And that’s why it is crucial that all voices are heard and considered during this entire exercise.

No matter who makes the ultimate decision about redistricting, the public should take the opportunity to become part of the process by attending the public hearing at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Common Council Chambers on the 13th floor of Buffalo City Hall, 65 Niagara St.