In a column on this page today, Steve Chapman raises an issue with which South Carolinians are all too familiar -- the gerrymandering of election districts by self-serving incumbents. Mr. Chapman's right. If California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger can actually spark a national revolution against politicians drawing themselves "safe" election districts to discourage the competition, the governor would have generations of Americans in his debt.

As Mr. Chapman points out, California can be a trendsetter because its citizens, unlike those in South Carolina, have the benefit of initiative and referendum. They can force issues unpopular with politicians -- term limits and government restructuring come to mind -- to a popular vote.

Now that single-member election districts have made their way from the S.C. Statehouse to city councils, gerrymandering has become a way of life at all levels of government in this state.

Rarely are incumbents even challenged. There was only token opposition to the two Lowcountry congressional incumbents who sought re-election in November and the vast majority of the General Assembly also was unopposed.

Indeed, the Statehouse's partisan balance barely moved. Republicans gained one seat in the state House, with their partisan advantage now at 74, compared to 50 Democrats. In the state Senate, the GOP lost one seat, but remains ahead with a 26-20 partisan split.

It isn't the party in charge that's the issue. Indeed, in California, the Democrats have the decided advantage. What's so discouraging is the lack of competition. That's because the incumbents have given themselves such an advantage. We even recall one instance where an incumbent was said to have drawn an election line down a potential opponent's backyard. While gerrymandering is subject to review by the courts, it's rare that entire plans are set aside.

According to Mr. Chapman, Gov. Schwarzenegger has suggested an independent panel of retired judges draw the lines from the outset. While it's impossible to totally remove politics from the political process, that's as good an idea as we've heard. If some day we can thank "The Terminator" for starting the movement that ended the blatant gerrymandering that now plagues our election process, he truly will be an America hero.