Redistricting commission to include three Bay Area residents

Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Contra Costa Times
November 18, 2010

SACRAMENTO -- Three Bay Area residents are among the eight people randomly selected Thursday for California's new Redistricting Commission, a voter-created panel responsible for drawing the political boundaries of congressional, board of equalization and state legislative districts.

State Auditor Elaine Howle drew the names bingo style from a 36-member pool that included 12 Democrats, 12 Republicans and 12 people unaffiliated with a political party or who are members of the third parties.

The first eight are: Connie Galambos Malloy, of Oakland, nonpartisan; Stanley Forbes, of Esparto, nonpartisan; Cynthia Dai, of San Francisco, Democrat; Elaine Kuo, of Mountain View, Democrat; Jeanne Raya, of San Gabriel, Democrat; Vincent Barabba, of Capitola, Republican; Jodie Filkins Webber, of Norco, Republican; and Peter Yao, of Claremont, Republican

Those eight members will select six more members of the panel before Dec. 31.

East Bay residents who remain in the pool and are eligible for selection include Maria Blanco, of El Cerrito; Tangerine Mignon Brigham, of Oakland; Sherman Gee, of Castro Valley; William Giles Hamm, of Lafayette; Paul McKaskle, of Berkeley; and Brightstar Ohlson, of Oakland.

Minority advocacy organizations such as the San Francisco-based Greenlining Institute have worried that the selection process would fail to produce a panel that reflects California's ethnic and geographic diversity.

An institute spokeswoman said the group was pleased with the selection of several Asians, a Latino and an African-American. Five of the eight panelists are women.

"But there are clear ethnic and geographic gaps that will need to be filled when the final six members are chosen," said Tunua Thrash, the institute's director of innovation.

"All Californians must feel they have a voice in the commission's work, which has become even more critical now that voters have chosen to have it draw districts for members of Congress as well as state legislators."

Voters in 2008 stripped the Legislature of the job of drawing political boundaries, and they enthusiastically expanded the commission's role earlier this month to include congressional districts.

An astounding 30,000 residents initially applied to serve on the panel, a list the auditor's staff and legislative leaders whittled down per rules specified in the ballot initiative to a final pool of 36.

The 14-member commission will have five Democrats, five Republicans and four residents unaffiliated with either of the major parties.

To qualify, an individual must have been continuously registered in a party or have been nonaffiliated with any party for five years, and have voted in at least two of the past three statewide general elections.

The legislation broadly disqualified applicants, and their immediate family members, who have been candidates for congressional or state office; worked for political parties, candidates or legislative offices; lobbyists; or contributed more than $2,000 in a single year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.

Panelists will earn $300 a day and must produce a set of new district maps by Aug. 15.

The new boundaries will go into effect in the 2012 elections for the Assembly, Board of Equalization and Congress.

Local jurisdictions such as county boards of supervisors and other regional boards will continue to redraw their boundaries after the release of the decennial census data.

For all the details about California's Citizens Redistricting Commission, visit www.wedrawtheline.ca.gov.