Founder's Note: March

Community Comments

It's Time For Voters to Draw The Line

By Warren Smith

I applaud Gov. Schwarzenegger’s recent attempt to overhaul California’s system of redistricting, the legislative process that draws new district boundaries for legislative, congressional and state Board of Equalization elections every 10 years.
    Despite a voter mandate for change in the recall of Gov. Gray Davis in 2003, none of California’s 153 legislative and congressional seats up for election in 2004 changed party hands. The bipartisan redistricting plan adopted two years ago solidified the political status quo, and I agree with those who don’t believe we should wait until the next census (2010) to address the matter.
    In one of the few contested races last year, Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto partly blamed his loss to Sen. Michael Machado, (D-Linden) in the 5th Senate District on gerrymandered redistricting.  Machado's victory came almost entirely from Democrat-heavy Yolo County — a new addition carved into the district. In Yolo County, Machado received roughly 60 percent of the vote (41,124 – 27,363). Take away Yolo and the senator won the election by only 219 votes.
    The 5th Senate District now includes the cities of Dixon, Fairfield, Suisun City and Vacaville in Solano County; Davis, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland in Yolo County; as well as parts of Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. 
    To the detriment of the popular Stockton mayor, the recent reconfiguration split San Joaquin County four ways. Draw a map of the scattered new district and you won’t find a tight-knit community, the common ground from which elected officials should spring forth and lead. 
    Schwarzenegger is backing ACAXI 3, authored by Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. The resolution for an amendment to the state constitution calls for an independent commission of retired judges, selected by the California Judicial Council, to draw new districts in time for the 2006 state election. The judges would be required to seek competitive districts in which the gap between Democrats and Republicans would not exceed seven percentage points.
Continued...

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