The AP has a story, here in the SF Chronicle, on Schwarzenegger’s new effort to collect signatures to qualify the Voters First initiative. The full text is below: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has begun a drive to qualify a November ballot measure that would take away legislators’ ability to draw their own districts.The Republican governor says… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Redistricting
Maryland Redistricting
The Capitol Editorial Board recently published an opinion peice on Maryland’s redistricting that sounds very familiar to what we have seen in other states, including California: “When Maryland’s political powers-that-be gathered behind closed doors in 1992 and again in 2002 to draw new political districts, they carved up Anne Arundel County like a Christmas turkey.Once… Continue Reading
Bass and Steinberg Re: Term Limits and Redistricting
From a Sacramento Bee editorial: Bass and Steinberg will have a lot on their plates in coming months, and the state’s fiscal troubles must be their first priority. But if they can set the state on a multiyear plan for resolving its structural deficit, which they absolutely must do, they should turn their attention toward… Continue Reading
Size of Legislature>Redistricting?
From Gary Carson’s op-ed in the San Bernardino Sun: The key to this entire debate is not, “Who should do the redistricting?” but rather, “How to factor in the size of the Legislature itself?” Is it too small, too large or just right? *** California, having the largest population of any state in the union,… Continue Reading
Ohio Redistricting Process
According to the Ohio Constitution the process for redistricting the state is conduction by the 5 -member Aportionment Committee consisting of the governor, auditor of state, secretary of state, and one person from each of the two parties in the legislature. An article in the Cinncinatti Enquirer by Jon Craig looks at redistricting reform legislation… Continue Reading
Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform
Andrea Mulrine has an editorial in the Morning Call, PA about how redistricting reform effects citizens: Two consequences of gerrymandering may be less obvious but deserve consideration.First, a lack of competitive elections breeds voter apathy and reduced civic participation. Why become involved when the result is predetermined? Why volunteer or vote? Why become a candidate… Continue Reading
Sen. Cogdill on Redistricting
Here is the new Senate Republican leader on redistricting reform as reported by the Modesto Bee’s Ben van der Meer: If there’s one change that could make his job easier, Cogdill said, it would be redistricting reform, and he’ll push for it until 2014, when he will be termed out.”You have to have hope in… Continue Reading
Steve Westly to Co-chair Redistricting Reform Campaign
As Shane Goldmacher reports at capitolalert.com: Steve Westly, the Silicon Valley Democrat who funded his bid for 2006 bid for governor with his multimillion dollar fortune, has signed on as co-chair of the latest attempt to change how California draws legislative district lines. Westly joins Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man he once sought to unseat,… Continue Reading
Our Steadfast Goal: Redistricting Reform
Steven Maviglio asserts (and he insists he is “not making this up” – always a dead giveaway) that redistricting is being sold to California voters “as the way to balance the budget, solve immigration problems, and create a fair tax system.” And he insidiously links this selling to what he spuriously calls the “right-leaning Rose… Continue Reading
Rose Institute Mentioned by Governor
Steven Maviglio at the California Majority Report has the low down on the new way redistricting reform will be presented to the voters. See especially the last sentence, referring to the Rose Institute: Partisan redistricting will get new packaging — After six straight times being rejected by voters, political consultants are wrapping redistricting as the… Continue Reading