Californias first Citizens Redistricting Commission to meet February 10, in Claremont. Click on the link to view MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA.
What is the Citizens Redistricting Commission?
Every 10 years, after the federal census, California and every state in the country must redraw the boundaries of its legislative and other political districts to reflect the new population data. How these boundaries are drawn affects how people are represented. In California, the process of redrawing the boundaries—redistricting—was a duty of state elected officials. But when voters passed Proposition 11 (the Voters FIRST Act) in the November 2008 general election, responsibility for redrawing the legislative and Board of Equalization district lines transferred to the people in the form of a new Citizens Redistricting Commission. In November 2010, voters passed Proposition 20 (the Voters FIRST Act for Congress), adding to the responsibilities of the Citizens Redistricting Commission the task of adjusting the boundary lines for the Congressional districts as well.
California’s first Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) is a new 14-member Commission charged with redrawing California’s Senate, Assembly, State Board of Equalization, and now Congressional districts based on information gathered during the 2010 census. The Commission must draw the State Senate, Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create districts of relatively equal population that will provide fair representation for all Californians. Congressional districts shall achieve population equality as nearly as is practicable according to Proposition 20.
What will the commission do?
The 14-member Commission according to the Act will be made up of five Republicans, five Democrats, and 4 not affiliated with either of those two parties but belong to another party or are decline-to-state. According to the Act, the Commission must draw the district lines in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create districts of relatively equal population that will provide fair representation for all Californians. The Commission must hold public hearings and accept public comment. After hearing from the public and drawing the maps for the 40 Senate districts, 80 Assembly districts, and four Board of Equalization districts, the Commission must vote on the new maps to be used for the next decade. To approve the new maps, the maps must receive nine “yes” votes from the Commission—three “yes” votes from members registered with the two largest parties, and three from the other members. The role of the Commissioner is further described here.