March 28, 2006-Give voters more choices-CA

Give voters more choices

Bakersfield Californian, The (CA)

March 28, 2006

Insist that legislators put Senate Constitutional Amendment 3 -- a key political reform -- on the November ballot.

For better or worse, SCA 3 is the latest attempt to reform redistricting -- one of the most critical factors in creating fair state elections. Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, is a joint author of the measure.

Redistricting uses U.S. Census data to draw the boundary lines of political districts. The hands that draw the lines control the political power often skewing the population within districts to support incumbent politicians.

In California , there are few competitive districts meaning the party in office generally holds on to the district seat.

Former Assembly Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, had an earlier, more broadly based proposal that challenged the power structure in Sacramento . It stood little chance of passage.

SCA 3 preserves more of the leadership's hand in the process, but still benefits voters who deserve more choices.

Although the public may not know or care about the intricacies of redistricting , voters recognize when the process is being manipulated, as it has been for the past two decades.

The result is a Legislature dominated by special interests and major party leaders. They tend to be more extreme than the mainstream, moderate electorate, with different economic and social policy priorities than most citizens.

If SCA 3 is enacted in its present form, a group of retired state appeals court justices will assemble a pool of 25 redistricting commission panelists from both major political parties, independent voters and third party members.

From that pool, 11 panelists will be picked to draw new political boundaries every 10 years.

Majority and minority leaders of both parties in both houses of the Legislature will choose eight of the members. Those eight will then choose from the remaining pool three more members who are independent or third-party voters.

The new boundaries will have to comply with the Voting Rights Act; be balanced in population; attempt to keep intact cultural, economic and other common interests; try to use natural geographic and city and county jurisdiction boundaries; follow census tract lines where practical; and be as competitive politically as possible.

The commission's agendas, meetings and minutes will be public, replacing the present secretive process.

The state Supreme Court will resolve legal disputes or decide on a reapportionment plan if the Legislature and the governor cannot pass one.

Anyone can find fault with SCA 3. No plan is perfect. But the alternative is to keep the present flawed system in place.

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Section: Editorial Page

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