June 18, 2008

"Changing method of redistricting makes ballot"

"An initiative to take redistricting out of the hands of the Legislature will be on the November ballot, backed by a couple of strange political bedfellows.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former state Controller Steve Westly, a Democrat who lost his primary bid to challenge Schwarzenegger in 2006, are co-chairs of the effort to change the way California draws most of its political boundaries.

Westly and Schwarzenegger also worked together in 2004 as co-chairs of the group backing Propositions 57 and 58, which were designed to ease the state's budget woes.

"This is not a Democratic or Republican initiative at all," said Jeannine English, state president of the AARP, one of the sponsors of the ballot measure. "We think this is fair and has broad-based support."

The initiative, which backers have dubbed the California Voters First Act, will create a 14-member redistricting commission with responsibility for drawing the boundaries for Assembly, state Senate and Board of Equalization districts after the 2010 census. The district boundaries must follow geographic, city and community lines and ignore partisan political considerations.

Eight commissioners would be selected by the state auditor's office in a random drawing of candidates selected by a review panel. Those eight would choose the other six members from the applicant pool."

Posted by Randy Riddle at June 18, 2008 09:31 AM