California Initiative Targets Redistricting Practices

OCTOBER 30, 2008

California Initiative Targets Redistricting Practices
By CHRISTOPHER LAWTON
The WSJ

A ballot proposition to overhaul California's redistricting practices is shaping up as a battle for the state's political makeup in the next 10 years.

Proposition 11, also known as the Voters First Act, is designed to overhaul a California law that lets the state legislature determine the boundaries of political districts. That law has been the subject of increased criticism, as political organizations accuse legislators of mapping districts to their political advantage. The proposition is opposed by state legislators and backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Under the plan, redistricting would be decided by a 14-member independent committee. The next redistricting will occur in 2011, according to current state laws.

The ballot initiative has national implications. It could spur more efforts across the country to end lawmakers' monopoly on redistricting, the norm in most states. The odds of passage in California are improving. According to a poll earlier this month from the Public Policy Institute of California, 41% of Californians favor the proposition, with 34% against and 25% undecided. That compares with 38% in favor and 33% against in September. The ballot initiative has received particular attention in the wake of a three-month-long battle between California's Democratic-led legislature and Republican Gov. Schwarzenegger over the $104.3 billion state budget. Many blamed the budget gridlock on entrenched incumbents who had little incentive to compromise with one another.

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Few legislators in either party have come out in favor of the bill, but plenty are against it. Among the opponents are two of the state's most prominent Democrats: Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House, and California Senate President Don Perata, who have called the bill flawed. Many of their criticisms center on the complicated system for determining who sits on the new redistricting commission under Proposition 11. The opponents say the system doesn't ensure fair representation of gender, race and geography.

Under the proposition, the state auditor, a political appointee of the governor, would give voters the opportunity to nominate candidates for the commission. Then an audit committee, selected at random from the pool of auditors employed by the state, would pick 60 qualified candidates representing both political parties and independents. Legislative leaders could strike as many as 24 of those names. The audit committee would then randomly select eight names from the 36 remaining to serve on the commission. Those eight would choose six more from the remaining pool. The result would be a 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission with the power to map legislative districts for the entire state. The commission would consist of five Democrats, five Republicans and four voters unaffiliated with either party. The legislature would continue mapping congressional districts.

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