Redistricting breathes new life in California
By Kirstin Ellison
Posted on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 03:45:15 PM EST
Last year Califonia's Proposition 77 to redraw electoral districts tanked when put to the voters. This year, however, lawmakers have come back with a new and improved version of redistricting, focused on creating an independent commission to oversee the redistricting process. After the state budget is settled, the measure will be put to the state Senate; then the Legislature will vote on it, and finally it will go to the voters on the November ballot.
From the Contra Costa Times:
"It's long overdue," said Shakari Byerly, project manager for the California Governance Project on redistricting. "There's a fundamental conflict of interest with legislators who are running in the districts they draw."
Check inside for details of the proposed plan.
Under the proposed constitutional amendment, a redistricting commission would be formed according to the following guidelines:
- The California Judicial Council will choose 10 judges -- five from each party -- who will in turn nominate 50 potential commissioners.
- The 50 nominees must consist of 19 Democrats, 19 Republicans and 12 others who have not stated their party or belong to a third party.
- The four legislative leaders will then be allowed to remove two people from the opposing party, eliminating up to eight nominees.
- From the 42 remaining nominees, the judges will vote and select eight commissioners -- with no more than four from either the Republican or Democratic party.
- Those eight commissioners then will choose the remaining three commissioners among the 12 who have no party ties for a total of 11.
We'll keep you updated on the proposition's progress.
Tags: California, In the States, redistricting (all tags)
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