With the Citizens Redistricting Commission [3] preparing to publish its draft maps tomorrow, the League of Women Voters of California praised the work of the commissioners and the public. “Californians have engaged enthusiastically in the process of redrawing the lines,” said LWVC President Janis R. Hirohama. “Unlike redistricting in the past, this process has been open and transparent—a true citizen-driven process.”
In early April, the commission set out from Sacramento to meet the people who brought them into being. After several months of hard work to get the commission set up and working, it was time for the commissioners to talk to Californians about what kind of legislative districts they wanted to see. “Nobody knew just what would happen,” noted Hirohama. “We didn’t know if many voters would attend the hearings or if people would really care”
Two months and 21 public hearings later, those questions have been definitively answered. More than 1,500 people turned out to speak to the commission, and thousands of others submitted written comments.
Years of work by the League and others led to the adoption of Proposition 11 in November 2008, establishing a new redistricting process for California. District lines are no longer drawn by legislators behind closed doors. Instead, a diverse, independent commission is following fair, prioritized criteria in a process unequalled for its transparency and public accessibility.
Tomorrow the first results of that process will be announced, and public engagement will continue as everyone is able to access the first drafts on the commission’s Web site [3]. The League encourages Californians to examine the draft maps, find their communities on them and comment [4] if they wish. Then, “Keep watching as the commission takes more input and revises the maps,” urged Hirohama. “This is a historic moment. We need to insure that the public is heard.”
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The League of Women Voters of California is a nonpartisan political organization for women and men that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Trudy Schafer, 916-442-7215; 916-705-1090 (c)