California
| Redistricting Process: Independent Commission | Population Change (since 2000): 3,382,308 |
| Legislature: Democratic | Seats: 53 |
| Governor: Jerry Brown (D) | Members of Congress: 15R, 38D |
| Party Control: Democratic | 2012: 59.3% Obama, 38.3% Romney |
Map Instructions:
Three maps are available for each state. Each has new district outlines in bold.
Click on each district on the map to see more information.
Click the arrow button to switch between districts that are close together.
New Districts by Party Representation
Redistricting Analysis: A First for California, No New Seats
2010 Redistricting Changes:
Old Districts by Partisan Voting Index with New District Outlines
Old Districts by Party Representation with New District Outlines
For California, 2011 redistricting marks a number of firsts. For the first time since California earned its statehood in 1850 (except 1920, in which reapportionment did not occur), the Golden State will not see an increase to its Congressional delegation following the Census. While states like Texas, Colorado, and Georgia will each gain a few more seats in the House of Representatives, a slowing of population growth in California means that the status quo of 53 representatives will remain in place for the next ten years. Perhaps even more historic, 2011 marks the first redistricting cycle in which the power of redistricting has been granted to a brand new, voter approved organization: the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC).
The California Citizens Redistricting Commission, created with the passage of Proposition 11 in 2008, was initially given the task of handling redistricting exclusively for state legislative districts (and the Board of Equalization), but later expanded to include congressional redistricting with the approval of Proposition 20 in 2010. Both Propositions had to overcome significant opposition to their passage. The commission, comprised of five Democrats, five Republicans, and four commissioners unaffiliated with either major party, was supported heavily by Governor Schwarzenegger and state Republicans, who believed maps produced by a bipartisan redistricting process would be much more favorable to the GOP than ones authored by Sacramento Democrats. Conversely, Democrats and many incumbents feared losing control of the process.
On August 15, 2011, the CRC formally approved finalized legislative redistricting plans 13-1, and the Congressional plan 12-2. A district-by-district analysis of the California Redistricting Commission’s maps illustrates the far reaching nature of the CRC’s work. The new maps drastically reshape congressional and state legislative representation in the Inland Empire. As a result of efforts by the commission to create reasonably compact districts and preserve communities of interest (and undo the bipartisan incumbent gerrymander of 2001), the new maps offer districts that are, for the most part, much more compact than their predecessors.
First District
California’s 1st District is comprised of the northeastern portion of the state and includes large parts of the old 2nd and 4th Districts, currently represented by Wally Herger (R) and Tom McClintock (R). The new 1st District inherits the city of Susanville, and a number of parks, including Plumas, Modoc, Lassen, Tahoe National Forests, from the old 4th. From the former 2nd, the 1st includes the cities of Chico, Anderson, Magalia, Paradise and Redding as well as Klamath and Shasta National Forests.
Overwhelming rural, the GOP has a registered voter advantage of 12 points over the Democrats in the 1st.
Second District
California’s 2nd District, stretches along the coast from Mill Valley to the California-Oregon border. Along with the coastal portions of the former 1st, the new 2nd District includes the Trinity National Forest area from the old 2nd, as well as Mill Valley, Petaluma, and Novato from the old 6th District.
With portions of heavily Democratic Marin County and the left-leaning coast, Demcrats hold a 27 point registration advantage over the Republicans in the Second District.
Third District
The 3rd District includes the area west of Sacramento and the surrounding agricultural, rural areas of Davis, Fairfield, and Susan City. The northern portion of the 3rd district reaches up into the Sacramento Valley to take in Live Oak, Yuba City, Olivehurst, and Beale Air Force Base. The new 3rd is made up of several old districts: the eastern end of the former 1st, the southern tip of the former 2nd, the western arm of the old 3rd District, Vacaville from the 7th, and Fairfield from the 10th.
Dubbed a Democratic leaning district by the Cook Political Report, the Democrats enjoy a 9 point registration edge over the Republicans in the 3rd District.
Fourth District
The 4th District, another vast rural district, follows the Sierra Nevada Mountains down the eastern border of the state. The northern tip of the 4th is marked by Truckee and the California side of Lake Tahoe, while the south is marked by Kings Canyon National Park. In between lies Mader, Mariposa, Amador, Calaveras, Alpine, Lincoln, and Roseville—along with a score of parks and forests, including Yosemite National Park and Calveras Big Tree State Park. Like most of the new districts in California, the new 4th includes parts of several old districts: the southern part of the 4th District, the eastern, rural parts of the 3rd District, the northeast section of the 19th District, and the northern part of the 21st District.
The GOP holds a 16 point registration advantage in this district.
Fifth District
California’s new 5th District is a mashup of the 1st and 6th Districts. From the 1st District, the new 5th inherits Napa Valley, Finley, and portions of the Hopland Indian Reservation, and from the 6th District Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park.
Democrats enjoy a 29 percent party registration advantage.
Sixth District
The urban 6th District, similar to the former 5th District, is centered around Sacramento. Unlike the former 5th, the 6th yields parts of Rosemont and Florin to expand to the north and west, encompassing Sacramento International Airport and Western Sacramento. The southern end of the new 6th District is marked by Cosumnes River College and the Sacramento Executive Airport with North Highlands and Mcclellan Airfield to the north.
Much like 5th district, the Democrats hold a strong registration advantage in the 6th — 23 points.
Seventh District
The 7th District remains similar to its 2010 counterpart, keeping the Sacramento County cities of Rancho Cordova, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Folsom, Elk Grove, Herald, and Sloughhouse.
This district is very competitive, with Democrats holding just over a half a point registration advantage.
Eighth District
The massive 8th District includes large portions of San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties. To the south, the new 8th includes much of the old 41st District, including Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Apple Valley, Highland, and the Mojave Desert. The 8th takes the rest of its territory from the old 25th District, following US 395 to include Adelanto, Barstow, Mammoth Lakes, and the Toiyabe and Inyo National Forests.
The GOP holds a 10 point registration advantage over the Democrats.
Ninth District
The 9th District unifies much of the San Joaquin Valley that had been split into the11th, and 18th Districts. From the 10th, the new 9th District takes Antioch, Oakley, and Bethel Island. The 9th unifies Stockton, previously divided between the 11th and the 18th, as well as the nearby city of Lanthrop.
The Democrats hold a modest registration advantage of 9 points.
Tenth District
The 10th District combines the 18th and 19th Districts to form a district centered around Modesto. Following the Stanislaus-Merced county border, it picks up the cities of Turlock, Salida, Oakdale, and Riverbank from the 19th, and Modesto, Patterson, Tracy, Manteca, Ceres, the Modesto City-County Airport, and Ripon from the 18th.
The Democrats hold a 5 point registration advantage in the district, although the Cook Political Report calls it a Republican leaning district.
Eleventh District
The new 11th District includes much of the east and north Bay Area, including urban Richmond, Concord, and Antioch and suburban Orinda, Clayton, Lafayette, Moraga, Alamo, Danville, and Diablo. The 11th takes Danville from the previous 11th, a heavily gerrymandered district that combined it with Stockton and the San Joaquin Valley. The northern and western parts of the district comes from the old 7th district.
The 11th District is composed of 50% Democratic voters and 26% Republican voters.
Twelfth District
The 12th district includes the heart of San Francisco, reaching from Hunters Point (and Candlestick Park), the San Miguel Hills to the Golden Gate, Embarcadero, Bay Bridge, and South Park (and AT&T Park). The new 12th’s Sunset area and Mount Sutle had previously been a part of the new 12th, while the rest of the district was once included in the 8th District.
The Democrats have a massive registration advantage: over 47 points.
Thirteenth District
The 13th district combines the old 9th District with the old 13th, and includes the urban east Bay cities of Berkeley and Oakland, along with Piedmont, San Leandro, Alameda, and Albany. From the former 13th, the new 13th took Alameda and San Leandro with the rest coming from the old 9th District.
The 13th district is heavily favored for Democrats. Only 9% of registered voters have identified as Republican while 64% of them have identified as Democratic.
Fourteenth District
The 14th District includes South San Francisco and much of the South Bay, including San Bruno, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Milbrae, Poster City, Redwood City, Belmont, San Carlos, and Half Moon Bay. It is a combination of the old 12th (the northern portion) and the old 14th (southern portion).
District 14 heavily favors Democrats as voter registration shows that 35% more residents consider themselves Democrats than Republicans.
Fifteenth District
The 15th District is a combination of the former 9th, 10th, 11th, and 13th Districts, comprised of Hayward, Livermore, Union City, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Lorenzo, and Castro Valley. From the 10th the new 15th has picked up Livermore, while coastal portions of the district have been inherited from the former 13th District. The central portion of the 15th comes from the old 11th, which had previously united the Dublin, Pleasanton, and Amador Valley with Stockton and Gilroy.
The Fifteenth favors Democrats as 49% of registered voters identify with the Democratic Party compared to only 24% of Republicans.
Sixteenth District
The 16th District, primarily comprised of the old 18th and 20th Districts, includes most of Fresno, as well as the entirety of Merced, Delhi, Livingston, Los Banos, Madera and Chowchilla.
The 16th leans Democratic, with 48% of registered voters in the Democratic Party compared to only 33% in the Republican Party.
Seventeenth District
The 17th District includes the south San Francisco Bay Area communities from Fremont to Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, taking up Newark, Milpitas, and Cupertino in between. The 17th is made up of a number of old districts, merging the southern tip of the 13th District, with much of the old 15th District, a small portion of the old 16th District, and the eastern portion of the former 14th District together.
District 15 leans convincingly Democratic, with 45% of registered voters say they are Democrats compared to only 21% Republican.
Eighteenth District
The 18th District reaches from the UC Santa Cruz to Palo Alto, closely mirroring much of the former 14th District, though the 18th sheds Half Moon Bay and picks up Campbell and Los Gatos. From the former 14th the 18th keeps Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Stanford, Menlo Park, Woodside, as well as Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Davenport, and much of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Finally, the new 18th grabs parts of Redwood City from the former 14th District.
The district is safely Democratic, with 46% of registered voters belonging to the Democratic Party and only 26% to the Republican Party.
Nineteenth District
The 19th District, largely made up of Santa Clara County, combines what was the 11th and 15th districts into a single district. The 19th unites the southeast side of San Jose with Morgan Hill, and Gilroy to make up its western half, while following the Stanislaus/Santa Clara County border to the east, the Alameda/Santa Clara County border to the north, and most of the Santa Clara/San Benito border to the south.
Forty-eight percent of voters are registered Democrats while only 24% are Republicans.
Twentieth District
The 20th district remains extremely similar to the former 17th, but adds pieces of the former 14th and 11th. Compared to the 17th, the district has expanded northward to include Corralitos, Pinto Lake County Park, and Wastonville It contains most all of Monterey and San Benito Counties, as well as parts of Santa Cruz County. Notable cities include King City, Greenfield, San Benito, and Monterey.
Democrats have a solid hold on this district, with 54% of registered voters compared to 22% for Republicans.
Twenty-First District
District 21 is created from the remnants of the former 20thDistrict, although parts of the former 21st, 22nd and 19th are included as well. It includes portions of Fresno and Kern County, and all of King County. The 21st district includes the cities of Fresno, Wasco, and Shafter as well as the Tulare Lake Bed. The 21st is also home to the Lemoore Naval Air Station and a sizable portion of the San Joaquin Valley.
Democrats hold a substantial advantage over the GOP: 46% to 36%.
Twenty-Second District
District 22 resembles a shrunken version of the old 21st. It combines Visalia and Tulare with portions of Clovis and northern Fresno from the 19th. In addition, the district includes portions of Madera County and eastern Fresno County. District 22 is also home to California State University Fresno, as well as the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
The 22nd district is safely Republican: 47% of registered voters are Republican while 34% are Democratic.
Twenty-Third District
The 23rd District is primarily composed of the former 21st and 22nd Districts. It also possesses a small portion of the 25th. The 23rd includes the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, including Sequoia National Park, Sierra National Forest, and Red Rock Canyon State Park. The 23rd is also home to California City, parts of Bakersfield, Tehachapi, and Porterville. The 23rd also has parts of Fresno County almost all of Tulare County, alongside a sizable portion of Kern County.
The 23rd district is safely Republican: 48% of registered voters are Republican and 30% are Democrats.
Twenty-Fourth District
The 24th District is extremely similar to the former 24th. The main change is the addition of the coastline and the Channel Islands, previously a part of the 23rd district. The new 24th includes much of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties as well as Grover Beach, Santa Maria Orcutt, and California State University San Luis Obispo. Additionally, the 24th encompasses Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Cauchman Recreation Area.
District 24 is seen as a swing district. It has a large population of independents (at 20%) and roughly matched Democrats and Republicans: 39% and 35% respectively.
Twenty-Fifth District
The 25th district is largely comprised of the western portions of the former 25th district. The 25th also takes parts of Simi Valley from the old 24th district. It draws its northwestern border and most of its territory from the northern part of Los Angeles County. The district is home to the cities of Santa Clarita and Palmdale as well as the Castaic Lake State Recreation Area.
The 25th district is narrowly Republican, as 42% of registered voters identifying as Republicans compared to 35% as Democrats.
Twenty-Sixth District
The 26th district is composed of the former 23rd and 24th districts. The 26th takes virtually all of its geography from the southern half of Ventura County. Large cities in the new 26th include Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and Camarillo. It is also home to California Lutheran University, Ventura County Naval Base, and Port Hueneme.
With a relatively close number of Republicans and Democrats (35% and 41% respectively), the 26th could be a swing district in 2012.
Twenty-Seventh District
The new 27th District is comprised of most of Pasadena and pieces of the north San Gabriel Valley, including Glendora, San Gabriel, Rosemead, Altadena, Arcadia, Temple City, Alhambra, and South San Gabriel. Claremont and parts of Upland, once prominent members of Inland Empire districts, have now been demoted to mere appendages of this Pasadena-dominated district.
Democrats hold a double digit registration edge (42 %to 30%) in the district.
Twenty-Eighth District
The 28th is mostly composed of the former 25th and 29th Districts. It is located in the center of Los Angeles County. The district stretches from the San Gabriel Mountain Ranges in the north to West Hollywood in the south. Notable cities include Glendale, Burbank, La Cañada Flintridge and parts of West Hollywood. The 28th is also home to several geographic landmarks including Mount Hollywood, Ruyon Canyon Park and Deukmejia Wilderness Park.
Democrats hold a 24 point registration advantage in the district.
Twenty-Ninth District
The 29th district is composed of the former 28th and 27th. It is located in Los Angeles County, and stretches from North Hollywood to the Placerita Canyon. The 29th’s main cities are the San Fernando, Pacoima, and Sylmar. It is also home to Los Angeles Mission College, Pacoima Recreation Center and Branford Park.
With a nearly 70% Latino population and almost 40 point Democratic registration edge, this district is strongly Democratic.
Thirtieth District
The Thirtieth is made from the remnants of the 27th, 28th, and 24th districts. It consists primarily of Los Angeles County with a small portion of Ventura County. Notable City of Los Angeles neighborhoods covered include Northridge, Canoga Park, West Hills, and Granada Hills. The district is also home to California State University Northridge and the Chatsworth Reservoir.
Democrats hold a 23 point registration advantage in the district.
Thirty-First District
The new 31st District unifies the city of San Bernardino, previously split between the 41st (Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands) and 43rd (Rep. Joe Baca, D-Rialto) Districts. The 31st includes San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, part of Upland, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, and Redlands.
Democrats hold a small registration advantage over Republicans in this district (41% -37.5%).
Thirty-Second District
The California 32nd District reaches from El Monte to La Verne, creating the first district in a decade located entirely in Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel Valley. The district is heavily Latino.
Thirty-Third District
The new 33rd District covers the western coastline of Los Angeles County from the Ventura County line to Palos Verdes, incorporating the cities of Malibu, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, the South Bay cities, and the Palos Verdes peninsula cities. It unites significant portions of the old 30th, 36th, and 46th districts.
Thirty-Fourth District
The new California 34th covers the portions of the City of Los Angeles around the intersection of the 10, 5, and 110 freeways, including Eagle Rock, Pico Union, and Downtown. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic, 58.6%, compared to only 17.4% registered Republicans.
Thirty-Fifth District
The 35th District covers Pomona and southwestern San Bernardino County. The 35th includes Fontana, Ontario, Montclair, Chino, Montclair, and Rialto in San Bernardino County, an area previously split into three separate districts. The 35th also includes the city of Pomona in Los Angeles County.
This seat will likely be a safe Democratic seat, given the sizable registration advantage the Democrats hold (47.8% to 27.4%), and the large number of Latinos in the area.
Thirty-Sixth District
The 36th District remains remarkably similar to its predecessor, the former 45th District, trading Moreno Valley and Murietta for San Jacinto, Banning, Calimesa and Desert Hot Springs. Palm Springs, Cathedral City, La Quinta, Coachella, Indio, Hemet, Blythe, and the Riverside County portion of Joshua Tree remain in the district.
Although historically a Republican district, registrations is now almost even, with Republicans at 42 % and Democrats at 39%.
Thirty-Seventh District
The California 37th has moved north from its former location in South Central Los Angeles to the area north of Los Angeles International Airport. The district, which once contained portions of Compton and Long Beach, now surrounds Culver City and Windsor Hills. Democrat Karen Bass, the incumbent of the former California 33rd, is the sole candidate. Bass, the former Majority Floor Leader and Speaker of the California Assembly, was first elected in 2010.
Thirty-Eighth District
The California 38th is now located in southeastern Los Angeles County, and includes Lakewood, Cerritos, Artesia, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Montebello, South El Monte, and Whittier.
The district is heavily Democratic, 49.2% to 26.5%.
Thirty-Ninth District
The California 39th is similar to the old 42nd in that it straddles San Bernardino, Orange and Los Angeles counties. This seat is safely Republican, with 40.1% registered voters versus 32.2% for Democrats.
Fortieth District
The new 40th District in Los Angeles County includes the cities of Paramount, Downey, Huntington Park, Bell, Bell Gardens, Vernon, Commerce and most of unincorporated East Los Angeles. The district is safely Democratic and heavily Latino.
Forty-First District
The new 41st District includes the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Glen Avon, Mira Loma, Rubidoux, Pedley, Sunnyslope, and Perris. A major change is in store for residents of the Riverside and Moreno Valley area. Once split between Rep. Mary Bono Mack’s (R-Palm Springs) 45th District, Rep. Darrell Issa’s (R-Vista) 49th District, Rep. Ken Calvert’s (R-Corona) 44th District, and Jerry Lewis’s (R-Redlands) 41st District, the Riverside/Perris/Moreno Valley area now has a district of its own. The Democrats have a moderate registration advantage (42 percent to 36 percent).
Forty-Second District
The 42nd District remains somewhat similar to its predecessor, the 44th District. Although the core of the district, including Corona and Norco is unchanged, the district now stretches south and east to include much of what used to be in Darrell Issa’s (R-Vista) old 49th District and the old 4th District. Key cities include the newly incorporated city of Eastvale, Corona, Norco, Murrieta, Canyon Lake, Wildomar, Menifee and Lake Elsinore, along with unincorporated French Valley, Winchester, Romoland, Lakeview, and Nuevo. The Orange County portion of the old 44th is no longer included in the new 42nd, which is located entirely in Riverside County.
Much like the 36th District, the 42nd District is unlikely to undergo any significant political change. Republicans enjoy a ten point registration advantage.
Forty-Third District
The 43rd District in western Los Angeles County includes the cities of Lomita, Gardena, and Inglewood, Hawthorne and most of Torrance, as well as Los Angeles International Airport and its neighboring Westchester neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles.
The district is safely Democratic and significantly African-American.
Forty-Fourth District
The 44th District in southern Los Angeles County includes the Watts, Wilmington and San Pedro neighborhoods of Los Angeles and the cities of Carson, Compton, and Lynnwood. The district was drawn by the Redistricting Commission to create a third district where an African American was expected to win, but the Commission’s deliberations failed to note that that the area includes heavily Anglo San Pedro.
Forty-Fifth District
The 45th District in Orange County includes the cities of Laguna Woods, Tustin, Irvine, Mission Viejo, and Rancho Santa Margarita, as well as the University of California, Irvine, and the Cleveland National Forest. The district is heavily Republican.
Forty-Sixth District
District 46 contains most of Anaheim, the western portion of Orange, and most of Santa Ana It covers areas included in old districts 40, 46, 47 and 48. The district is strongly Latino and Democratic.
Forty-Seventh District
District the communities of Cypress, Stanton, Signal Hill, Long Beach, most of Garden Grove, Westminister and Catalina Island. This Orange – Los Angeles County district includes portions of old districts 46, 37, 40, 46 and 47. The district leans Democratic.
Forty-Eighth District
The 48th District, located entirely in Orange County, reaches from Laguna Niguel to Seal Beach, including Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Aliso Viejo. The district is considered to be safely Republican.
Forty-Ninth District
The California 49th is home of Republican Darrel Issa, current head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Centered around Camp Pendleton, the 49th follows the coastline to San Clemente and Dana Point in the North, and Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe in the South. The 49th includes Encinitas, Carlsbad, Vista, and Oceanside.
Fiftieth District
The new California 50th is much the same as the old California 52nd, in that it encompasses much of the Northeastern quadrant of San Diego County. The district includes Pine Valley, Jamul, the western portion of El Cajon, Santee, Escondido, San Marcos, Valley Center, Fallbrook, and the Riverside County city of Temecula. This district is considered to be safely Republican.
Fifty-First District
The 51st District has remained largely unchanged following the redistricting process. The district continues to span all of Imperial County as well as the entirety of California’s border with Mexico. The only change is the slight loss of a portion of suburban Southeastern San Diego, including Chula Vista, and the addition of the City of San Diego’s Barrio Logan area.
The district is heavily Latino and solidly Democratic.
Fifty-Second District
The 52nd District includes the cities of Poway and Coronado along with the City of San Diego from San Pasqual to La Jolla, Point Loma, and Downtown. The seat is competitive but leans Republican.
Fifty-Third District
The 53rd district is centered around Lemon Grove and Spring Valley, with a westward extension to Kensington, Balboa Park, and Serra Mesa; a northern extension to El Cajon; and a southern arm into Chula Vista. Democrat Susan Davis has represented much of the district since 2001, but it also includes portions of the old 51st and 52nd districts. The district is safely Democratic.