Take political districts out of the hands of politicians

August 10, 2008

A state system overhaul is needed and redistricting is the only hope of breaking through the partisanship in the Legislature that consistently prevents this state from moving forward.

Proposition 11 is the latest plan in a long history of redistricting reform. It shows promise.

Made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and four who are not registered with either party, this commission will draw the lines. Currently, California legislators draw their own political districts and this configuration has resulted in snake-like districts and a system that has allowed powerful politicians preserve that power.

We're all for an independent body to draw the district lines. The gerrymandering now is beyond ridiculous. One of the biggest obstacles to an effective Legislature is unrealistic district boundaries, which contributes to a Legislature that is not willing to work together to solve problems, such as the budget.

A redistricting plan with elements like many of those contained in Proposition 11 could foster the election of more moderates in the Legislature, who would have to work harder to win and hang on to their seats.

But Proposition 11 isn't ideal. We have some concerns. The measure does not contain language that ensures those who draw the lines will be racially and ethnically diverse. It also doesn't link areas that make sense being connected.

The reason current districts are drawn in odd-looking configurations is because some areas have more in common with each other, such as socioeconomic factors and cultural makeup. Those areas should have an opportunity to be represented by leaders who understand their demographical similarities.

The initiative also excludes people who have been elected or appointed to any office, or served as a lobbyist in 10 years. While this sounds good and will help break down conflicts of interest, it also will create a commission of inexperienced people who don't understand certain populations or even the ins and outs government. They will have to become savvy in record time. But demographic redistricting software programs could help.

We don't necessarily believe this initiative will reduce the overall numbers of minority lawmakers in the Legislature. In fact, California has seen its largest gains in minorities elected to the Legislature during the few occasions in which the task of drawing the lines was taken from legislators and put in the hands of the courts. And while Proposition 11 doesn't specifically state it, it does make a pitch for diversity. It also reinforces transparency, which in itself will help promote diversity in the selection process of the commissioners.

We don't know what a citizens commission will ultimately do to our districts in and around the Coachella Valley, but we can guess. The commission will likely redraw based on population, which makes sense.

New districts could encompass the Coachella Valley and that could make it more Republican than it is now. The concern, or worst-case scenario, once again, is that minority representation could decrease in this area. This is a possible consequence and we don't like it. But we really don't know how it will shake out and redistricting by an independent body is needed.