Redistricting: California Special Election Prop 77 Analysis

* Amends process for redistricting California’s Senate, Assembly, Congressional and Board of Equalization
districts.
* Requires panel of three retired judges, selected by legislative leaders, to adopt new redistricting plan if measure passes and after each national census.
* Panel must consider legislative, public comments/hold public hearings.
* Redistricting plan effective when adopted by panel and fi led with Secretary of State; governs next statewide primary/general elections even if voters reject plan.
* If voters reject redistricting plan, process repeats, but offi cials elected under rejected plan serve full terms.
* Allows 45 days to seek judicial review of adopted redistricting plan.
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BuyBlue Analysis

If you think Governor Schwarzenegger wants to redistrict California out of a nonpartisan sense of good public policy then stand right here while someone goes to buy your dope for you. While you’re waiting for the man to come back with your grass, think about this simple arithmetic problem.

There are 53 California congressional seats. Democrats hold 33 of them, Republicans 20. There are 231 Republicans in the House and 202 Democrats. If you want to redistrict California to increase those Republican seats by at least the 6 to 8 seats currently held by Democrats in southern California urban areas, then you appoint a panel of judges who move the district lines to decrease the voting power of people who vote Democratic. The Democrats who control the state legislature are not going to do this for you. But if you succeed you will have 55% of the House.

The point of Prop 77 is to give Congress a veto-proof Republican majority.

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