Redistricting
In this section:
California Voters FIRST Initiative
Current Redistricting Bills and Initiatives
New Developments on Redistricting
Information about Redistricting
Additional Resources
Information about our previous redistricting effort, SCA 3
City Council Redistricting Resolutions
California Voters FIRST Initiative
On October 23, 2007, California Common Cause joined with AARP and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to file a redistricting reform initiative with the Attorney General's office.
Click here to read the actual language.
Click here for a summary of the initiative.
The Voters FIRST Act will create a truly independent and open citizen's commission to draw legislative districts, putting an end to political gerrymandering and instead put cities and communities FIRST! Click here to for more information and to endorse the Voters FIRST Act!
Click here to fill out our endorsement form and to sign up to gather signatures to place California Voters FIRST on the November, 2008 ballot.
Endorse the California Voters FIRST initiative!
2007-2008 Redistricting Bills and Initiatives:
A number of redistricting reform Bills and Initiatives been introduced. The following is a list.
Click here for a redistricting coalition letter on ACA 1 and ACA 4.
Click here for a comparison chart of the four Legislative bills.
Click here for a comparison chart of the major proposals.
Bills:
ACA 1 (Price, Nunez)- The California Constitution requires the Legislature, in the year following the year in which the federal census is taken at the beginning of each decade, to adjust the boundary lines of the Senate, Assembly, congressional, and State Board of Equalization districts in accordance with specified standards. This measure would assign the responsibility for adjusting boundary lines of Senate, Assembly, congressional, and State Board of Equalization districts to a commission that consists of the 9 public members of the Milton Marks "Little Hoover" Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy, subject to specified conditions. It would require the Legislature to establish, by statute, procedures to ensure compliance with specified requirements for membership on the commission.
ACA 4 (Villines) - The California Constitution requires the Legislature, in the year following the year in which the national census is taken at the beginning of each decade, to adjust the boundary lines of the senatorial, Assembly, congressional, and Board of Equalization districts in conformance with specified standards. This measure would repeal these provisions and instead require the Independent Citizens' Commission on Redistricting, to be comprised of an unspecified membership, on or before February 1 of the year following the year in which the national census is taken, to adjust the boundary lines of the Senate, Assembly, congressional, and State Board of Equalization districts in conformance with certain standards, prioritized in a certain order consistent with specified federal law.
SCA 9 (Ashburn) - Existing provisions of the California Constitution prohibit a Senator from serving more than 2 terms of 4 years each and a Member of the Assembly from serving more than 3 terms of 2 years each. This measure would instead allow a person, during his or her lifetime, to serve not more than 12 years in the Senate, the Assembly, or both, in any combination of terms, except that a Senator or Member of the Assembly in office on the effective date of this measure, whether or not he or she has previously served in the other house, would be eligible to serve a total of 12 consecutive years in the house in which he or she is currently serving. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.
SCA 10 (Lowenthal) - The California Constitution requires the Legislature, in the year following the year in which the federal census is taken at the beginning of each decade, to adjust the boundary lines of the state Senate, Assembly, congressional, and State Board of Equalization districts in accordance with specified standards. This measure would delete these requirements, and would instead create a procedure for the appointment of an independent redistricting commission, composed of 11 members, that would be charged with establishing Senate, Assembly, congressional, and State Board of Equalization districts in accordance with designated goals prioritized in a specified order. This bill contains other related provisions. Click here for a SCA 10 fact sheet.
Initiatives Filed:
California Voters FIRST Act - Amends the process for redistricting California's Legislature and Board of Equalization and creates new mapping criteria for drawing U.S. House of Representative districts. It will establish a 14-Person Redistricting Commission (5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, 4 other). Three randomly selected qualified independent state auditors (1D/1R/1other) comprise the Applicant Review Panel. This panel selects 60 of the most qualified applicants (20R/20D/20o) on the basis of relevant analytical skills, ability to be impartial, and diversity and who are not disqualified based on certain criteria. The four Legislative leaders can each strike up to 2 applicants from the pool. The State Auditor randomly draws 8 names from the remaining pool of applicants (3D/3R/2o). The 8 Commissioners then review the names remaining in the pool and choose the final 6 Commissioners (2D/2R/2o). They will select to complement the balance of skills and diversity. Districts will be drawn based on 1) the US Constitution, 2) the Voting Rights Act, 3) geographically contiguousness, 4) the geographic integrity of any city, county, or city and county, neighborhoods, or communities 5) compactness and 6) to the extent possible, after the above criteria have been satisfied, districts shall be nested. This act requires public input and transparency of the process. 9 votes (3D/3R/3o) are required to adopt a plan. Click here for a summary.
1240: Redistricting. Constitutional Amendment (Fadem Initiative) - Amends process for redistricting California's Legislature, Board of Equalization, and U.S. House of Representative districts. Establishes Citizens Redistricting Commission comprised of 11 qualified registered voters formed by the Secretary of State pursuant to detailed selection process. Requires Commission to submit redistricting plan, consistent with specified criteria, after each national census. Requires Commission to hold public hearings and receive public input before finalizing the redistricting plan. Requires legal challenges to be made within 45 days of certification of plan. Subjects adopted plan to challenge by referendum. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Potentially increased redistricting costs every ten years-probably of less than $1 million. Any such costs would be accommodated within the Legislature's existing budget.
1241: Redistricting. Constitutional Amendment - Amends process for redistricting California's Legislature, Board of Equalization, and U.S. House of Representative districts. Establishes Citizens Redistricting Commission comprised of 11 qualified registered voters formed by the Secretary of State pursuant to detailed selection process. Requires Commission to submit redistricting plan, consistent with specified criteria, after each national census. Requires Commission to hold public hearings and receive public input before finalizing the redistricting plan. Requires legal challenges to be made within 45 days of certification of plan. Subjects adopted plan to challenge by referendum. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Potential reduction in redistricting expenses of a few hundred thousand dollars every ten years.
New Developments on Redistricting:
California Common Cause Files Redistricting Initiative!
Support Fair Independent Redistricting Standards Today!
Endorse the California Voters FIRST initiative!
Click here to fill out our endorsement form and to sign up to gather signatures to place California Voters FIRST on the November, 2008 ballot.
Voters FIRST on a roll!
October 24, 2007: The California Voters FIRST initiative is already making a splash in the media. So far, the Sacramento Bee, Los Angeles Times, and KQED are all talking about it! And it's only been 24 hours since we filed!
Real Redistricting Reform WILL Happen!
October 23, 2007: California Common Cause announced today that it has joined with AARP and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to file a redistricting reform initiative with the Attorney General's office. Click here to read the actual language. Click here for a summary of the initiative.
The Voters FIRST Act will create a truly independent and open citizen's commission to draw legislative districts, putting an end to political gerrymandering and instead put cities and communities FIRST! Click here to for more information and to endorse the Voters FIRST Act!
New Developments on Redistricting:
Gov. Schwarzenegger Joins Former Governors Davis and Wilson in Push for Redistricting Reform
August 23, 2007: Gov. Schwarzenegger, Gov. Gray Davis and Gov. Pete Wilson met today with California Common Cause, members of the Voices of Reform Coalition, the League of Women Voters and others to discuss the need for the Legislature to pass a redistricting reform measure. Gov. Schwarzenegger stated "Reforming the redistricting process is the most important action we can take to return control of the political process back to Californians. We need to restore the competitive and fair elections process and bring integrity back to our system -- the people of California deserve nothing less."
Assembly Democrats Unveil Independent Commission Redistricting Proposal
February 1, 2007: California Common Cause commends Speaker Fabian Nunez for taking leadership role in crafting redistricting reform legislation. After three years of promises, the legislature has announced publicly and unequivocally its support to pass a redistricting reform bill that will take the self interest and extreme politics out of district line drawing.
Stated Kathay Feng, Executive Director of California Common Cause, “Californian voices have been heard. We need to draw districts that reflect our communities and changing demographics, not incumbents' political interests. We are hopeful that Speaker Nunez and Governor Schwarzenegger will work out a plan to create a truly independent, fair and representative commission that will draw lines using objective criteria. It is the only way that voters' interests will be heard in Sacramento.”
The Speaker and Asm. Curren D. Price, Jr. (Chair of the Assembly Elections Committee) announced the principles of the reform bill they are putting together:
“The current system is indefensible,” said Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez. “Legislators should not cherry-pick their votes. But changing that is easier said than done. Redistricting is complex. Mapmakers need to consider the Voting Rights Act, communities of interest, boundaries, and dozens of other issues.”
“Fairness and diversity are the cornerstones of our proposal,” Assemblymember Price said. “We are committed to making this happen this year.”
Click here to see press coverage of the event.
Governor Schwarzenegger Reaffirms Call for Independent Redistricting Commission
January 9, 2007: Speaking before a packed joint session of the state legislature on January 9, Governor Schwarzenegger reaffirmed his call for an independent redistricting commission.
From his speech:
“And one last item. And I don't want to be a pest about this. I again this year raise the issue of political reform. California politics is a centrifuge that forces voters and policies and parties away from the center. The centrifuge is powered by the way our legislative and congressional districts are drawn. Now we all know what they're talking about here. They are drawn to eliminate party competition. They work against the mainstream, which is where most Californians are. Currently, ours is not a system of the people, by the people and for the people. It is a system of the parties, by the parties and for the parties.
In the past three election cycles, only 4 out of California's 459 congressional and legislative seats changed hands. There was more turnover in the Hapsburg monarchy than in the California legislature.
I ask you to work with me to create an independent commission to fix a political system that has become petrified by self-interest. California certainly is not alone in this. No state legislature in U.S. history has put a redistricting reform on the ballot. California though can be the first, we can be the leader.
You will not benefit politically from this. I will not benefit politically from this. But the people will benefit from this. I ask you to work with me to do the right thing for the people.”
California Common Cause is working with Governor Schwarzenegger to create an independent commission to draw California's congressional and legislative districts.
Click here for the Governor's redistricting agenda.
Click here for the Governor's full state of the state address.
Common Cause Joins Governor Schwarzenegger to Call for Redistricting Reform!
Independent Citizens Commission Proposed to Draw the State's Legislative and Congressional Districts
December 5, 2006: California Common Cause joined Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at a press conference at the state Capitol this week to introduce a proposal to create an independent commission to draw California's legislative and congressional districts.
Click here to see press coverage of the event.
Currently, California's state legislators have the power and responsibility to draw state's political districts. Politicians have abused this power, rigging districts to ensure that incumbents from both parties get re-elected and that voters don't have meaningful choices. For example, not one of the 200 state legislative races in the 2004 and 2006 elections saw a seat change party control.
In drawing these districts to suit their own ends, politicians have cynically carved up communities and cities across the state, weakening the ability of California communities to hold their elected officials accountable, the lynchpin of any representative democracy.
Click here to see editorials from major CA newspapers.
Under the proposal, the commission would be selected at random from a pool of qualified citizens vetted by local elections officials to ensure independence, partisan balance, and diversity among its 11 members. The commission would draw districts to comply with the constitution and Voting Rights Act, preserve communities of interest, and to bar the consideration of incumbent politicians' addresses, among other criteria.
Click here to see the full proposal.
Click here to see our press release.
Last year, redistricting reform bill SCA3 (Lowenthal) passed the Senate, only to die on its way to the Assembly. California Common Cause is working with a broad, bi-partisan coalition of partners, including the Voices of Reform, the League of Women Voters, AARP, and the Rose Institute - and Governor Schwarzenegger and interested members of the Legislature - to ensure that we move forward on this important issue, not backwards.
Information about Redistricting:
Citizens Redistricting Commission Information Sheet
Common Cause believes that redistricting decisions must be removed from partisan legislators to make votes truly count. In this effort, our goal is to create legislative and congressional districts that are representative of the population and districting plans that result in more competitive congressional and legislative districts.
Our work on redistricting is guided by the following guidelines:
1. The Creation of Nonpartisan Independent Redistricting Commissions
Nonpartisan Independent Redistricting Commissions should be established to replace the current Congressional redistricting process and state legislative redistricting processes.
Nonpartisan Independent Redistricting Commissions could take several forms. In all instances, commissions should be made up of an odd number of members. Commissions should be structured so that if membership includes representatives from political parties that: no political party interests can advance a plan without support from other political parties; and, so that the two major political parties cannot collude to create a plan without support from other members not affiliated with either major political party.
Approval of redistricting plans shall require approval by a super-majority of the members or by consensus of the members of the Independent Redistricting Commission.
Independent Redistricting Commissions shall reflect the geographic, racial, ethnic, gender, and age diversity of the state.
2. Fair Criteria for Congressional and Legislative Districts
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Congressional and legislative districts shall be composed of equalpopulations - The Supreme Court has interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as providing the guarantee of equal population of districts.
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Districts shall comply with the United States Constitution and the Voting Rights Act - The Voting Rights Act (VRA) is a federal mandate that requires the drawing of special majority-minority districts under certain circumstances: where a minority population is large enough to draw a district around, and racially polarized voting patterns exist (i.e., racial groups voting for candidates along racial lines).
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District boundaries shall respect communities of interest to the extent practicable- District lines shall use, to the extent practicable, visible geographic features; city, town, and county boundaries, and undivided census tracts, similarities in social, cultural, ethnic, and economic interest, school districts, and other formal relationships between municipalities.
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Districts shall be geographically compact and contiguous- Compactness reflects the notion that districts should be composed of a tightly defined area so that representatives may be able to more efficiently communicate with their constituents. Contiguity requires that all parts of a district must be connected.
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Competitive districts shall be favored - The commission shall make use of necessary election data in order to draw competitive congressional and legislative districts where practicable.
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The redistricting process shall be "incumbent blind" - The commission shall not know nor take into account the address of any individual, including an officeholder.
3. Public Participation and Transparency
The Independent Redistricting Commission shall conduct several public hearings throughout the state on proposed plans, allowing for both comments and questions from members of the public. Regular meetings of the commission shall be open to the public and at least 10 days notice shall be given for all regular meetings of the commission. All meetings regarding redistricting at which two or more members of the redistricting commission are in attendance shall be considered a public meeting and thus shall be open to members of the public and subject to adequate notice requirements (at least 72 hours). All submitted maps, plans, revised plans, commission agendas, hearing transcripts, meeting minutes, descriptions of proposed districts, and other data shall be available in a timely fashion, free of charge, via a public website and other means. Members of the Commission shall be prohibited from all ex-parte communications with members of the legislature, other elected officials, former elected officials, candidates for office, representatives of political parties and registered lobbyists regarding redistricting.
4. Frequency
Congressional and Legislative Redistricting shall occur once every 10 years following the decennial U.S. Census and Congressional Reapportionment, unless a new redistricting regime is approved by a vote of the people or the Independent Redistricting Commission is directed by court order to create a new plan.
5. Judicial Review
States should establish a system that allows for judicial review of plans and for a clear process for timely review in the event of legal challenges.
Other Considerations
Common Cause believes that states pursuing redistricting reforms should consider the creation of proportional representation systems and multi-member districts. Proportional representation systems can more accurately reflect the will of a district's voters by allowing voters in the minority to win a share of representation alongside voters in the majority.
Additional Resources
Redistricting Reform Polling Results, link to results from a recent poll on redistricting.
Designer Districts Report, link to a report on drawing safe districts for incumbents.
Redistricting Research Site of the Institute of Governmental Studies, link to two reports on redistricting, one on competition in districts and the other on transparency, as well as other redistricting data.
Statement from Kathay Feng, Executive Director, link the 8/11/06 statement of Kathay Feng to the Government Reform Conference Committee.
Commonwealth Club Letter of Support for Redistricting Reform, link to a 7/19/06 coalition letter to the Governor, supporting redistricting reform.
Commonwealth Club Senate Letter of Support for Redistricting Reform, link to a 5/31/06 coalition letter to the Senate, supporting redistricting reform.
Information about SCA 3:
SCA 3
SCA 3 Text Summary
SCA 3 Redistricting Reform Fact Sheet
SCA 3 Supporters
City Council Redistricting Resolutions
Three cities have passed resolutions supporting redistricting reform in general or SCA 3:
Pasadena
On Monday, August 7, 2006, the Pasadena City Council voted to support SCA 3, becoming the first city in California to officially endorse SCA 3.
Palo Alto
On June 26, 2006, the Palo Alto City Council passed acity resolution in support of a fair and balanced redistricting process, becoming the first city in California to do so. The vote was 7-1, with one council member absent.
Saratoga
On August 2, 2006, the Saratoga City Council passed a Resolution Supporting State Legislation to Create an Independent Redistricting Process.
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