Proposition 11 - What Will It Do?

Abstract

THE CALIFORNIA Journal of Politics & Policy Commentary Proposition 11 – What Will It Do? Tony Quinn California Target Book The 10th time was the charm after all. Passage of Proposition 11 marks the first time California voters have supported redistricting reform. They had defeated various proposals to reform the way we draw district lines nine times over the past 80 years. Three factors account for the success of Proposition 11. First, the Democrats did not make it a partisan issue, even though it had the strong support of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and many Republican and business leaders. Democrats no longer have reason to worry that taking the power to draw district lines away from the legislature will cost them control of the Assembly or www.bepress.com/cjpp Volume 1, Issue 1, 2009 Senate, and congressional districts are not included in Proposition 11. Second, the voters seem to have awakened to the tawdry nature of politicians drawing their own district lines. The measure did its best in California’s suburban counties where reform minded measures often find support. Third, the campaign in favor of the measure stressed that this was a way to rein in the politicians. It did not try to educate the public on the arcane business of drawing district lines. So how will nonlegislative redistricting work? A careful reading of the measure demonstrates that it can be done in a fair manner. Proposition 11 establishes a 14- member Citizens Redistricting Commission. Appointing this commission requires 10 different steps overseen by the state auditor, and the commission members are carefully insulated from partisan politics. This all but assures that the commission members will have little practical knowledge of drawing district lines,