Citizen-redistricting commission targeted

Martin Wisckol
February 15, 2010

Orange County Register, The: Blogs (Santa Ana, CA) - Monday, February 15, 2010
Author: Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter

Fourteen Democratic congress members and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass are helping fund a proposed ballot measure that would eliminate the citizen-redistricting commission approved by voters in 2008.

The commission was advocated by those who complained that allowing the Legislature draw the districts resulted in gerrymandered lines that made the districts safe for one party or the other by eliminating competitive general elections. The measure appeared on the ballot as Proposition 11.

The proposed initiative would return the redistricting process to the state Legislature. It has been cleared for signature gathering and needs 694,354 to qualify for the November ballot.

Meanwhile, another initiative drive is underway that would add Congressional districts to the list of offices whose lines are drawn by a citizens commission. It also needs nearly 700,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

Both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn every year following the census. The next reapportionment is slated for 2012.

An analysis of donors by the Sacramento Bee found that Bass and the 14 members of congress contributed a total of $160,000 to the effort to repeal Prop. 11.

Contributions included $25,000 from Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, $10,000 from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and $20,000 from Bass, who is expected to run for Congress.

Meanwhile, Charles T. Munger, Jr. – a key backer of Prop. 11 – has donated $2 million to the effort take redrawing Congressional lines out of the hands of state legislators. Click here for the Sacramento Bee story about that.