Redistricting, 2011
League of California Cities
What is Redistricting
definition
Redistricting is the process of drawing district lines. It is
done every 10 years after the release of the US Census.
The well known examples are Congress and the
legislature.
Cities, Counties, School Boards, Water Boards… All
elected bodies do redistricting.
Reapportionment is the process of assigning congressional
seats to states.
What is Redistricting?
the Gerrymander
The term Gerrymander came
from a cartoon depicting a
rather serpentine looking district
created by Governor Elbrige Gerry
in Massachusetts.
What is Redistricting
the Gerrymander
There are legislative lines
that look a lot like
the original Gerrymander!
What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?
What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?
What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?
What is Redistricting
Federal VRA and State CVRA
Districting is the creation of areas, wards or districts
where all voters in that area select their representative.
VRA is the Federal Voting Rights Act which oversees all
election systems, including redistricting.
CVRA is the California Voting Rights Act – it pushes most
at-large systems into districted elections based on an
analysis of populations and voting patterns.
Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Community College Districts
There are a number of criteria that have been used
nationally and upheld by courts.
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•
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Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain communities of interest
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Preserving voter choices (incumbents)
Creating districts of equal size
Basic reason for redistricting
A basic rule of redistricting
is one-person / one-vote.
Democratic principle which
in redistricting means
districts should have
minimal variation.
Creating districts of equal size
Some have major variations
In this sample from a
California Community
College, the variation
between the smallest and
largest ward is 56% from
the mean.
Communities of Interest
Keeping similar voters together
Generally thought of as:
• Race / Ethnicity
• Socioeconomic
• Language
• Religious
Communities of Interest
Keeping similar voters together
Generally thought of as:
• Race / Ethnicity
• Socioeconomic
• Language
• Religious
Can also include:
• Issues
• Voting patterns
• Workforce
Communities of Interest
Keeping similar voters together
California has self-sorted based
on race, ethnicity as well as
political views, household type,
other values.
Communities of Interest
Keeping similar voters together
California has self-sorted based
on race, ethnicity as well as
political views, household type,
other values.
This is seen statewide as well as
within individual cities.
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
Overall the City of
Pasadena has had
relatively flat growth
2000: 133,500
2010: 137,000
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
However growth has
been uneven, with the
Green areas under the
210 Fwy gaining up to
28% in growth, while
the red portion above
210 Fwy lost up to 12%.
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
The City of Pasadena
also has significant
ethnic populations….
Asian
Latino
African American
Armenian
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
The City of Pasadena
also has significant
ethnic populations….
Asian
Latino
African American
Armenian
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
The City of Pasadena
also has significant
ethnic populations….
Asian
Latino
African American
Armenian
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena – Still waters mask turbulence
The City of Pasadena
also has significant
ethnic populations….
Asian
Latino
African American
Armenian
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena Example
In some areas the
growth and losses of
different populations
has reshaped the city,
while overall
population has
appeared stable.
Asian (-6% to +189%)
Latino
African American
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena Example
In some areas the
growth and losses of
different populations
has reshaped the city,
while overall
population has
appeared stable.
Asian
Latino (-15 to +65%)
African American
Looking at City Changes
Pasadena Example
In some areas the
growth and losses of
different populations
has reshaped the city,
while overall
population has
appeared stable.
Asian
Latino
African American (-46% to + 44%)
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
The State redistricting process has been
transformed by Propositions 11 and 20
which have applied traditional
redistricting principles – plus eliminated
consideration of partisan advantage or
candidate/incumbent residence.
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
Commission is charged with creating:
80 Assembly Districts
Nested into 40 Senate Districts
Nested into 4 BOE seats
53 Congressional Seats
177 seats, draft plans by June 10th, Final
Plans by August 15th.
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
Organizations and
individuals are
drafting plans, and
finding that it isn’t as
easy as they
thought!
Cook Political Report
Congressional Plan
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
One significant
challenge is the
Voting Rights Act,
which will protect a
number of districts
from the other
commission rules.
Cook Political Report
Congressional Plan
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
An area like this can
look like a mess –
and it seems anyone
could fix these
districts.
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
But the VRA will lock
in a number of these
seemingly
gerrymandered
seats.
They will be
redrawn, but cannot
have their ethnic
population
retrogressed.
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
The Commission
Process is also going
to make tough
decisions even
harder to make.
Looking at State Changes
New Commission
Looking at State Changes
New Commission