Calif. auditor to hold hearings on redistricting

Associated Press

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

California's state auditor will hold a series of public meetings starting Jan. 26 to get comments on regulations needed to implement Proposition 11, the redistricting reform measure approved by voters last November.

The proposition takes away legislators' power to draw their own districts and turns that duty over to a 14-member citizens commission. The auditor plays a key role in forming the commission.

The first meeting will be held in Sacramento and will be followed by sessions in San Diego on Feb. 9, Fresno on Feb. 20, Los Angeles on Feb. 23 and San Francisco on Feb 27.

"We want to ensure a wide range of voices are heard and look forward to hosting public forums throughout the state," auditor Elaine Howle said Tuesday in a statement.

The commission must be selected by the end of 2010 so it can draw new districts in time for the 2012 elections. Those districts will reflect population changes revealed by the national census in 2010.

Anyone who has voted in at least two of the last three general elections, hasn't changed their political party affiliation in the last five years and meets a series of conflict-of-interest requirements is eligible to sit on the commission.

Proposition 11 requires Howle to create a panel of three state auditors to narrow the potential pool of commissioners to 60 of the most qualified applicants — 20 Democrats, 20 Republicans and 20 voters who are either independents or minor party members.

Legislative leaders can veto up to 24 of those applicants. Then the chief auditor randomly picks eight commission members from the remainder — three Democrats, three Republicans and two independents or minor party members.

The eight commissioners then pick six more from the pool — two more Democrats, two more Republicans and two independents or minor party members.

The commission is supposed to approve new districts by Sept. 15, 2011.