Blacks Involvement in Redistricting Critical

Larry Aubry

January 21, 2010

Willie Brown, California's first Black and, arguably, its most powerful Assembly Speaker, inadvertently made a compelling case in favor of changing the way California legislative districts are formed. Meeting with Californians at the Democratic Party National Convention in 2008, Brown said they were duty-bound to keep their most important power, "drawing legislative district lines (and) defeating Proposition 11 is almost as crucial as making sure Barack Obama is elected president, because whoever draws the lines decides who gets elected."

Proposition 11, the Voters First Act, created a 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission. Until then, politicians had unwarranted authority to determine who would be elected to the Legislature. The Legislature itself and by extension, political parties, used that authority to maintain power in Sacramento. They enhanced the careers of individual candidates; typically, those who raised the most money had lines drawn that increase their chances of getting elected, or retaining, a legislative seat. Conversely, those without big money-or those who crossed the majority party-risked never getting elected. (Blacks have always been spectators, not significant players, in California's decennial charade.)

The Voters First Act assigned the job of seeking applications for the new commission to California's State Auditor, a non-elected official prohibited from engaging in the kinds of political activities that are daily bill-of-fare for elected officials. Voters first sought a person or agency not looking to the next election but understand how government works. The State Auditor's office interfaces with local government and state agencies and presumably understands how critical the process of drawing fair and legal lines is to the state's future.

Dr. Ron Daniels observes that the U.S. now has substantial numbers of people of African descent from Africa, the Caribbean and Central and South America. This represents the potential for an unprecedented exercise of Black power, "around a range of critical issues that affect the Black community and impact U.S. policy toward nations and communities in the Pan-African world." However, this will not happen unless there is a sustained effort to ensure that every person of African descent is counted in the upcoming 2010 Census. (Taking into account, especially these days, that immigrants are extremely apprehensive about government intrusion and understandably reluctant to be involved with the Census.

Many Black Americans are similarly apprehensive, but the census is used to reapportion congressional, as well as state political jurisdictions and is essential that Blacks are counted accurately so that they can receive sorely needed funds and other resources.

The Constitution mandates that every person living in the United States be counted every ten years; the data collected is critical in the allocation of some $400 million annually in federal tax dollars to state and local governments. Ineffective outreach methods, lack of political will, skepticism, and suspicion of government among Blacks, contributed to a consistent undercounting of Black people.

A recent meeting of Black leadership with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, reportedly focused on many of the above-mentioned concerns. It also addressed a number of other issues that might adversely affect Blacks such as the federal budget and the government's failure to target funds for Black communities. A particularly perplexing issue for Secretary Locke was how to resolve the large number of incarcerated Blacks in the prison industrial complex who are counted in the communities in which they are confined, rather than in the out-of-prison communities where they and their families live. "Locke pledged to consider the group's recommendations."

The New Voters First Law affords California's Blacks a historic, but fleeting, opportunity to help shape the state's future by applying for membership on the Citizens Redistricting Commission. Tunua Thrash, Director of Innovation for the Greenlining Institute, a public policy organization, cautions that taking advantage of this opportunity depends on Blacks getting involved in a process that seems obscure but affects everyone. She urges that they participate to the fullest because redistricting should, and can be about Blacks fair share of jobs, quality education for their children, healthcare, and adequate housing-all quality of life issues.

California's legislature-driven, highly politicized redistricting process had little sustainable benefit for Blacks, whose vote was usually taken for granted. As Ms. Thrash puts it, "Our issues took a back seat to fundraising and other incumbent priorities." The process further disenfranchised Blacks, reducing their already meager political capital.

It would be unconscionable if no Blacks were on the Citizens Redistricting Commission, considering their numbers and contributions to California's development. So it is critically important that they apply for membership on the Commission in substantial numbers. Those interested have until February 12th to apply at, wedrawthelines.ca.gov, and/or, contact Tunua Thrash, (310) 203-3026, or (310) 914-1810, for more information.

I urge them to apply before the deadline and suggest that others do the same.

Larry Aubry can be contacted at e-mail l.r.aubry@earth-link.net.