More Indiana legislative districts should be like House District 31, which includes all of Blackford County and much of Grant County.

The district is split between Republicans and Democrats, and winning for either party is far from a sure thing.

Last weekend, visiting my hometown of Hartford City, I saw incumbent Democratic state Rep. Joe Pearson going door-to-door in the 90-degree-plus heat, seeking to win votes and, perhaps more importantly, encourage his supporters to make sure they cast ballots Nov. 2.

Pearson doesn’t need a poll to know he faces a tough challenge from former Blackford County Sheriff Kevin Mahan. After all, in 2008, Pearson knocked off Republican incumbent Tim Harris by just 468 votes out of more than 20,000 cast. Harris had won the seat in 2004 by a margin of just 150 votes, a landslide compared to his 2006 margin of 19 votes.

In contrast, state Rep. Phyllis Pond won’t have to break a sweat campaigning in District 85, which includes New Haven. Her district is so solidly Republican that no Democrats are even trying to unseat her. When a Republican caucus appoints a new state representative to replace Randy Borror in the 84th District, he or she will hardly have to lift a finger to beat Democrat Evan Smith in November, the district is so Republican.

By the same token, Democrat Phil GiaQuinta should have little difficulty winning re-election in the heavily Democratic 80th District.

What is happening in Pearson’s 31st District is the way it’s supposed to work. Incumbents are supposed to be challenged by credible opponents. They should have to defend their record to win re-election. Opponents with good ideas and qualifications should have a chance to win, regardless of party.

But neither party really wants it that way. They like safe districts.

In the Indiana Senate, Republicans are all but assured of winning about two-thirds of the 50 seats, the districts have been carved so well. And they pretty much hand Democrats one-third of the chamber, keeping those Democratic voters tightly compacted.

They are willing, for example, to hand over the 40th District, which includes Bloomington and Brown County, in exchange for Republican majorities in the surrounding districts.

Republicans would like to carve up the 100 House districts to give them a safe majority. Democrats, of course, want to try to make at least 51 of the districts heavily Democratic.

That’s why this election is particularly important. The legislature elected this year will draw the new districts for the General Assembly as well as the state’s U.S. House seats.

If Democrats can hold on to their slim majority in the Indiana House, Republicans will have to work with them on the districts. If Republicans can take away just three of the Democrats’ 52 seats, they will have great freedom in drawing new districts.

Which party wins the House could well be determined in the rural 31st District, where either of the strong candidates could be elected – the way it’s supposed to work.