Hillarysworld

CA Ballot Initiative Would Limit Gerrymandering

By: Jon Walker Friday May 7, 2010 8:01 am

California Secretary of State of Debra Bowen today certified a Congressional redistricting initiative for the November ballot (pdf). The goal of the ballot initiative is to reduce gerrymandering of districts and increase the number of competitive Congressional races in the state.

If the ballot initiative passes, it will take the power to draw Congressional districts out of the hands of elected officials, and put it under the control of a recently authorized 14-member citizens redistricting commission. Every 10 years, after the national census, states redraw their legislative districts. With the census currently underway, the next redistricting will redraw the district map ahead of the 2012 general election.

The state redistricting commission was created in 2008 when voters narrowly passed Proposition 11. Prop 11 gave the new citizens’ redistricting commission only the power to redraw the districts for the state legislature and Board of Equalization, but did not give it power over Congressional districts. This new ballot initiative hopes to change that.

In California, gerrymandering hurts the democratic system by reducing the number of competitive general election races and increasing the importance of party primaries.

Continues

--------------------------------------------------

I am glad to see a ballot initiative that stops gerrymandering. Redistricting to suit the purposes of sitting elected officials is just plain wrong. That must stop. Hope CA succeeds in this.

Often, fine shifts in democracy happen at the Ballot Initiative level. Be sure to watch all the ballot initiatives in all states closely.


-- Edited by Sanders on Sunday 9th of May 2010 04:43:03 PM