Gerrymandering: California again takes lead on national issue
Gerrymandering has been a reality in politics more than 200 years since Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry designed a congressional district whose outlines looked a lot like a salamander to ensure one of his fellow Democratic-Republicans would be elected to Congress. Thus, the term gerrymandering, coined by the old Boston Gazette. Gerry’s party no longer includes…
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS ON THE ISSUE OF CITIZENSHIP AND WHO COUNTS
The U.S. is still months away from the start of the 2020 census, but the decennial count of the country’s population is already controversial. After the Supreme Court’s decision at the end of June, President Donald Trump conceded that the administration would no longer pursue a citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. Census. Instead, Trump…
California Seeks to Diversify Members of 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission
California extended the deadline to ensure that prospects for its 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission better represented the diversity of the state. But as the application period closed this week, the final pool of 21,000 citizens asking for the chance to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional districts is larger, yes. But it’s still predominantly white, and…
With whites and men still dominating the pool, how California hopes to create a diverse redistricting panel
California extended the deadline to ensure that prospects for its 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission better represented the diversity of the state. But as the application period closed last week, the final pool of 21,000 citizens asking for the chance to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional districts is larger, yes. But it’s still predominantly white, and majority…
Asians Americans in California are Missing Out on a Once-in-a-Decade Chance to Influence Voting
Asian Americans in California are being urged to apply for a process that will help reflect the population and their communities in future elections more accurately. Every 10 years, after the federal census, California must redraw the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts to reflect new population…
Howle: Application extended for Citizens Redistricting Commission, now it’s up to you
Last week I extended the deadline to submit applications for California’s 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission. Unlike other states, more than 10 years ago, by a vote of the people, Californians took redistricting out of the hands of politicians and put it in the hands of the public. Specifically, 14 individuals with a history of voting…
Editorial: Citizen redistricting commissions could be the answer to gerrymandering. If they’re allowed to be
California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission has a simple mission. Once a decade, the independent board of 14 regular citizens is asked to examine the latest census data, hold a bunch of hearings and apply some computer wizardry, some constitutional principles and some old-fashioned common sense to draw new boundaries for state, legislative and congressional districts. Up until 2010,…
Application to help redraw state’s districts closes next week
SACRAMENTO — The 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission is seeking applications until Monday, which leaves only a few days left for interested residents to submit an application. More than 17,000 people have already applied to serve on the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission which be comprised of 14 members. In 2008, Californians passed the Voters FIRST Act…
On gerrymandering, California once again takes the lead
Gerrymandering has been a reality in politics more than 200 years, since Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry designed a congressional district whose outlines looked a lot like a salamander to ensure one of his fellow Democratic-Republicans would be elected to Congress. Thus, the term gerrymandering, coined by the old Boston Gazette. Gerry’s party no longer includes Republicans…
Applications rise for Redistricting Commission
This week, the California State Auditor reported an uptick in applications by eligible individuals interested in serving on the next 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission. To date, 13,735 applications have been submitted. The Commission is tasked with redrawing Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts. “We’ve been closely monitoring applications since the…
Redistricting battle in Michigan could threaten California citizens’ commission
A Republican-backed lawsuit aimed at killing Michigan’s new redistricting commission could threaten the future of California’s landmark citizens’ reapportionment panel. The Michigan suit, filed in federal court, charges that the rule barring politicians, partisan staffers, lobbyists, party leaders and their families from the commission is unconstitutional and should invalidate the redistricting system approved by the state’s voters…
Opinion: California needs diverse group to draw redistricting maps
The 2020 Census has been getting a lot of attention lately, but it is only part of the story of how immigrant communities, communities of color and other underrepresented groups in California can build long-term political power for the next 10 years. Census data is used to make a number of important decisions, such as…