The state’s independent redistricting commission has the crucial job of redrawing new congressional and legislative districts for California politicians and voters every 10 years to limit gerrymandering and, by extension, excessive partisanship. It is being assembled now, not unlike the Avengers.
That’s no exaggeration. A 2010 commission member told CalMatters the effort is akin to “saving democracy” because “gerrymandering is evil.”
Unfortunately, the 2020 candidate pool is much smaller than it was in 2010, and not representative of California’s diversity, skewing more white and male than the state, with Latinos especially underrepresented. The deadline for 17,255 applicants to submit more material for consideration is Sunday. Tuesday, barely 500 completed applications were in.
Californians like ex-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have rightly urged other states to adopt independent redistricting commissions with powers that too often reside with politicians. Californians should focus on our state, too, and ensure the new redistricting commission reflects California’s diversity.
View Original Publication: The San Diego Union-Tribune