Community Members Draw the Line

Gregory Freeland

doi:10.1177/2158244014539518

Abstract

This study investigates whether a community-based task force’s redistricting plan in Ventura County, California, positively affected fair representation, social equity issues, community interests, and the electoral process. Examination and evaluation of the organizational strategies and collaborations involved in the task force’s redistricting process find that the Board of Supervisors districts that members of the community drew were successful in improving and maintaining fair representation. This finding is based on comparing supervisorial votes and policies with community members’ votes on state propositions and local measures, in addition to conducting interviews with task force members, politicians, and community activists. This study finds that citizen participation in governmental processes improves overall community health and political participation.

Highlights

Does Community Involvement in Redistricting Matter?Elephant- and donkey-shaped districts designed to be solidly Republican and Democratic would perfectly represent deliberate, politically drawn lines
A case study of Ventura County, California, where community members formed the Ventura County Redistricting Task Force (VCRTF) to create a redistricting plan to redraw the Ventura County Board of Supervisors districts based on the 2000 census, establishes the point that community involvement in redistricting processes is valuable to realizing fairer representation in local, state, and national legislatures
This study found evidence to justify the power of community involvement in political processes after reviewing citizen participation, definitions, and laws governing redistricting, and investigation of the beginnings and operation of the VCRTF, followed by the implementation of their redistricting plan and an evaluation of policies emanating from the Board of Supervisors conducting business in the post-VCRTF redrawn districts

Summary

Introduction

Does Community Involvement in Redistricting Matter?Elephant- and donkey-shaped districts designed to be solidly Republican and Democratic would perfectly represent deliberate, politically drawn lines. A case study of Ventura County, California, where community members formed the Ventura County Redistricting Task Force (VCRTF) to create a redistricting plan to redraw the Ventura County Board of Supervisors districts based on the 2000 census, establishes the point that community involvement in redistricting processes is valuable to realizing fairer representation in local, state, and national legislatures.

Results

Conclusion