Could redistricting be the answer?

Tracy Press

February 17, 2006

In spite of an aggressive war of words by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a Republican is almost assured of being elected in California 's 11th House District this fall. That's because there aren't enough Democratic-leaning voters to switch the controlling political party. It's been that way for 28 years, and it will be that way for at least another six years when the next redistricting is scheduled.

Five years ago, a bunch of state legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, redrew the 11th District's lines so it would be a stronger Republican enclave. It was an opportune move for incumbent Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy. Similar moves were made for incumbents throughout California .

This same 2001 legislative gerrymandering did make the 17th District of Assemblywoman Barbara Matthews, D-Tracy, less safe for her successor. Matthews has had to serve two distinct groups of constituents, one in San Joaquin County and the other in Merced County . Meanwhile, the voter registration margin between the two major political parties has narrowed, making the 17th District a competitive open seat when Matthews is termed out this fall.

Because of these factors, there was no doubt that there would be a multimillion-dollar political campaign with Tracy at ground zero. It's already begun five months before the primary.

Of the two election scenarios, we like the anticipated 17th Assembly District dog fight better because of its competitiveness.

And there could be similar ballot-box battles if the state's 173 legislative and congressional districts were redrawn sensibly. A recent University of California , Berkeley , study notes that remapping for more competitive seats while balancing other criteria would probably produce 14 competitive congressional districts and 17 competitive Assembly districts. Now, there are no competitive congressional districts and just five competitive Assembly districts.

But to do so, this political process has to be removed from the hands of those who directly benefit � our elected representatives.

The voters last November declined to turn redistricting over to a panel of retired judges. Now, the Democrats who control the Legislature want another independent commission to do the remapping. Unless the Democrats show sincerity in their measure, we're afraid the devil will again be in the details and it will also fail.

Perhaps the measure would be more appealing if the district maps were drawn by a panel without any link to politics.

(How about a group of 15-year-old computer geeks?).

Only then would our representatives in Sacramento and Washington be accountable to all of the voters and not just a few, if any.