San Francisco Examiner
by Katie Worth

South San Francisco is already split between two supervisorial districts — and now it could be split between two state Assembly districts and two Senate districts as well.

“There’s one neighborhood where the line is drawn just down these small residential streets,” said Mayor Kevin Mullin. “You’d think they’d draw lines on a big street like Hickey or Chestnut [streets], but they’re just randomly drawn across that neighborhood. It’s kind of frustrating.” (more…)

LA Weekly
by Simone Wilson

Uh oh: La Raza is rising! California’s voting districts are getting browner/bluer by the second. Before we know it, this’ll be the goddamn Nation of Aztlán, are we right?

The state’s historic vote to let a group of 14 guys and gals with no political ties draw up new districts for the State Assembly, State Senate and U.S. Congress made the puzzle of rhyme-less, gerrymandered districts that politicians had drawn to get themselves re-elected almost unrecognizable. (Evidenced by the silent scream of agony coming from Sacramento in the days following the release of the Citizen Redistricting Commission’s first draft.) (more…)

Recordnet
By Zachary K. Johnson

STOCKTON – Political boundary lines won’t cut across Stockton for the first time in a decade based on first-draft maps released Friday.

The city will be whole inside one Assembly, one state Senate and one congressional district based on a not-yet-final proposal from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
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New America Media
By Nina Martin

The first batch of political maps by California’s new Citizens Redistricting Commission is having exactly the effect that government reformers intended—shaking up the political status quo by ignoring incumbents and promising to make many statewide elections more competitive.

But the release Friday ofproposed maps for new legislative and congressional districts has also left Latino civil rights advocates shaking with frustration and anger.
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Rosemont Patch
By Cody Kitaura | Email the author

Rosemont residents could soon find themselves voting in a completely redrawn congressional district.

After two years of work, the 14-member California Citizens Redistricting Commission released draft plans for new congressional and state districts for the entire state on Friday, including a possible switch for Rosemont, which is currently a part of the area represented by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento).

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Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Coordinator, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell)
Michelle Romero, Greenlining Institute Redistricting Fellow, 408-550-3121 (cell)

Greenlining Institute Urges People of Color to Speak Up, Will Host Community Workshops

Today’s release of draft redistricting maps by California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission offers a reminder to Californians that only those who speak up will be heard, policy experts at The Greenlining Institute said today. The commission was sensitive to the community input it received at public hearings held earlier this year, but communities of color showed up in smaller numbers, disadvantaging some from being fairly represented in line-drawing.

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Contact:
Tunua Thrash, Greenlining Institute Director of Innovation, 310-499-8470
Michelle Romero, Greenlining Institute Redistricting Fellow, 510-926-4016

Greenlining Urges Swift Action to Fill Remaining Slots With Diverse Representatives

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – With the partially-formed Citizens Redistricting Commission scheduled to hold its first meeting today, The Greenlining Institute urged the eight members selected so far to move quickly to fill the six remaining seats and to ensure that these new members reflect California’s broad diversity as much as possible. The first eight commissioners, chosen by lottery Nov. 18, include only one Latino and one African American and no representatives from San Diego or Orange counties as well as most of the Central Valley.

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Contact:
Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Coordinator, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell)
Tunua Thrash, Greenlining Institute Director of Innovation, 310-499-8470

Greenlining Institute Continues Monitoring; Experts Available for Comment

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – The process of selecting California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission enters its final phase today. As they have at every step, policy experts at the Greenlining Institute will be watching closely as they work to ensure that the body reflects the full diversity of California’s communities. The 36 finalists left after legislative leaders exercised their rights to eliminate two dozen candidates will be entered into a lottery to pick the first eight commission members today at 10 a.m. The lottery will be streamed live at http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov.

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Contact:
Bruce Mirken,
Greenlining Institute
Media Relations Coordinator,510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell)

Tunua Thrash,
Greenling Institute Director of Innovation, 310-499-8470

Greenlining Calls Changes Proposed in Props. 20 and 27 Premature

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – The list of 60 finalists for the 14 positions on the new Citizens Redistricting Commission released yesterday by the Applicant Review Panel of the Bureau of State Audits shows promise, but significant concerns remain, policy experts at The Greenlining Insitute said today.

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www.asianjournal.com

LAST YEAR, voters passed Proposition 11, the California Voters FIRST Act, which calls for the creation of a new Citizens Redistricting Commission. This commission composed of 14 members will be responsible for re-drawing the district lines for the Assembly, Senate and State Equalization Board.

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