The Voices of Reform Project - Commonwealth Club

California has a long history of legislators and governors using redistricting to promote their personal political or party’s interests. And, since the context of this activity is after all politics, some say this behavior goes with the territory.

However, as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping becomes a standard tool in redistricting efforts nationwide, we are seeing an ever-increasing number of districts rendered predictably and perennially noncompetitive for one or the other of the two major political parties.

In the 2001 redistricting process, Democrats and Republicans in the legislature created safe seats for every incumbent, and in the 2002 election, not one of 50 general election House challengers in California won even 40% of the vote. In the 2004 election, not a single legislative or congressional seat changed party affiliation.

There is a growing consensus that the result of this dramatic loss of political competition at election time is contributing significantly to the erosion of public confidence in government, among other negative consequences that directly or indirectly constrain government’s ability to respond to the public that elects it. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, 69% of adults feel the current redistricting process is in need of change (survey conducted between October 16-23, 2005).

Supporters of redistricting reform are generally motivated by an interest in 1) assigning the power of redistricting to an independent entity other than the legislature, which is understood to have a conflict of interest in this activity; 2) mandating that this independent entity follow specific criteria in drawing district lines to assure fair representation; and 3) increasing transparency in the process to strengthen public confidence in state governance.

Governor Schwarzenegger reaffirmed his support for redistricting reform in California in December 2006, in the first days of this legislative session.

In January of 2007, "place-holder" redistricting legislation was introduced by Assembly Republican Leader Villines (ACA 4). In April 2007, more detailed redistricting legislation was introduced by Speaker Nunez (ACA 1), Senator Ashburn (SCA 9), and Senator Lowenthal (SCA 10). (Senators Lowenthal and Ashburn co-sponsored the main redistricting vehicle in 2006, SCA 3.)

Key Provisions:
ACA 1 and SCA 10 apply to both legislative and Congressional line-drawing.
ACA 1 designates the Little Hoover Commission as the Redistricting Commission.
SCA 9 and 10 stipulate that Judges would oversee a selection process creating the Commission.
SCA 9 includes both redistricting and term limits provisions (note: Constitutional revisions by the Legislature are not subject to a single-subject rule).

April 27, 2007: Voices of Reform sent letters to the Legislative Leadership applauding this recent progress in both houses, and urging the leaders to appoint conferees to a redistricting conference committee soon, in order to allow for thorough, well-informed consideration of the issue. Several initiatives also have been filed with the Secretary of State although it is not yet clear which will be qualified for the February '08 (or some other) ballot.

UPCOMING EVENTS

None scheduled on this topic at this time.

BACKGROUND

Past VoR Programs

VoR Post Election Series: "Redistricting Reform in 2007: What's it going to take?" (01/17/07, Sacramento) | DOWNLOAD MP3 | California Channel Video

Panel Discussion: "Town Hall on Redistricting Reform " (9/21/06, San Jose) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Panel Discussion: "Town Hall Meeting on Redistricting Reform in 2006" (8/10/06, Long Beach) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Editorial Board Roundtable: “Redistricting Reform in 2006” (hosted by The Sacramento Bee, 1/19/06) | PDF TRANSCRIPT

Post Election Series on Governance Reform: “Prop. 77 and Redistricting in California: What Next?” (11/17/05, Sacramento) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Special Election House Party on Props. 76 and 77: State Budget Reform and Redistricting Reform (10/26/05, San Francisco) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Special Election Ballot Measure Forum: “Hot Topics/Cold Facts," Briefing on Props. 73-80. (10/22/05, Los Angeles) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Special Election Ballot Measure Forum: “Proposition Exposition," Briefing on Props. 74, 76, 77. (10/17/05, Los Angeles) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Panel Discussion: Line in the Sand: Redistricting Reform, or Not? (Spring Conference: "If It’s Broke, Fix It: Making California Government Work for Californians" 6/10/05) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Panel Discussion: “State Legislators Present Redistricting Reform Options” (5/05/05, Sacramento) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Editorial Board Roundtable: Redistricting (hosted by the San Jose Mercury News, 3/17/05) | PDF TRANSCRIPT

Panel Discussion: “The Impact of Redistricting on Minority Communities: Improving Representation for Everyone” (2/23/05, Sacramento) | DOWNLOAD MP3

Legislation ('05-'06 legislative sesson)

SCA 3. (Lowenthal D-27 and Ashburn D-18) This bill would create an independent redistricting commission to draw California's legislative district boundaries.

Websites

The Redistricting Game. This site provides an interactive game to illustrate various criteria used in redistricting and allows the general public to experience the mapping process.

The Statewide Database. The Statewide Database, based at UC Berkeley, includes reports, district maps, and census data for California. This is the information used when legislative districts are drawn.

The Institute of Governmental Studies/Library. The IGS Online Library provides information on recent redistricting proposals as well as a wide array of background on the issue and links to other sites.

The Center for Governmental Studies. The CGS Redistricting page includes analysis of the issue, current ballot measure initiatives, legislation, and links to other sites.

The California Voter Foundation. This site features maps of California's political districts, regions, and counties. It also includes archived maps of the 1991 districts.

The Rose Institute of State and Local Government. This site includes the Rose Institute's latest findings related to redistricting reform in California.

California Common Cause. This site explains CA Common Cause's position on redistricting reform in California.

The California League of Women Voters. The California Leagues site includes material explaining their position on redistricting.

People's Advocate, Inc. This site includes information related to the "Costa" Redistricting Initiative.

The National Committee for an Effective Congress. This site features the latest congressional redistricting information by state and compares California maps from 1992 and 2002, breaking down districts by race.

The National Conference of State Legislatures. This site includes information on legal issues related to redistricting, and process issues not widely covered by other sites.

The Center for Voting and Democracy. This site includes background on redistricting, as well as recommendations specific to "proportional representation," also known as "proportional voting."

Common Cause. This site describes Common Cause's position on redistricting reform nationally.

The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. This site provides an example of one state's experience with redistricting reform.

JoinCalifornia. This site, created by a group of San Jose State graduates, archives select California election history, including state redistricting maps going back to 1891.

California Forward. California Forward is a nonprofit organization charting a new path to more effective state governance through nonpartisan policy analysis, public dialogue throughout the state on key issues, and pursuit of sensible reforms.

Reports and Papers

'A Comparative Overview of California of California Redistricting Proposals in 2007' (Center for Governmental Studies report by Shakari Byerly, May 2007)

'Empowering Moderate Voters' (Position Paper and Fact Sheet by John Porter, April 2007)

'Re-drawing Lines: A Public Interest Analysis of California's 2006 Redistricting Reform Proposals' (A Center for Governmental Studies and Demos Report by Shakari Byerly and Steve Carbo, August 2006)

‘Competition and Redistricting in California: Lessons for Reform’ (An Institute of Governmental Studies report by Bruce Cain, Karin Mac Donald, and Iris Hui, February 2006)

‘Restoring the Competitive Edge’ (pdf) (Rose Institute report by Douglas Johnson, Elise Lampe, Justin Levitt, Andrew Lee, September, 2005)

‘Drawing Lines: A Public Interest Guide to Redistricting Reform’ (pdf) (The Center for Governmental Studies and Demos Report by Ari Weisbard and Jeanine Wilkinson, February 2005) CGS expects to have an updated version available by May 2006.

‘Designer Districts: Safe Seats Tailor Made for Incumbents’ (pdf) (Common Cause Education Fund Report by Mike Surrusco, Jon Goldin-Dubois, Edwin Davis, Edited by Kathay Feng, April 2005)

‘Redistricting Commissions Synthesis’ (Report by USC California Policy Institute, July 2005)

‘The Impact of Redistricting in Your Community: A Guide to Redistricting (pdf) (Report by The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF), and the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC))

‘Competitive Districts in California: A Case Study of California’s Redistricting in the 1990s (pdf) (The Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College Report by Douglas Johnson, February 2005)

‘California Fair Redistricting Act’ (A Model Law created by CGS in collaboration with Demos, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, and APALC, 2005)

‘Gerrymandering “Hall of Shame”’ (jpeg charts of “most gerrymandered” districts in California by the Rose Institute)

‘California Statewide Survey on Redistricting’ (Report by the Rose Institute, April 2005)

‘Compactness Requirements Synthesis’ (Report by USC California Policy Institute, August 2005)

‘Policy Brief: Redistricting Reform in California – Real Reform is Possible’ (pdf) (Brief by Naomi Boas for The Greenlining Institute, August 2005)