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2008
Opinion: Bad Districts Yield Bad Budgets
San Francisco Chronicle
October 5, 2008
The Conversation: Getting Districts Right
Is A First Step Toward Reform
Sacramento Bee
October 5, 2008
Prop. 11 Calls For Redistricting Overhaul
San Francisco Chronicle
September 29, 2008
Will State Budget Delay Boost Redistricting
Initiative?
Sacramento Bee
September 29, 2008
GOP Votes Not To Back Redistricting
Fresno Bee
September 28, 2008
Budget Signed, Schwarzenegger Sets Sights
On Redistricting, Other Changes
Sacramento Bee
September 24, 2008
Schrag: Redistricting Reform - Just Get It
Over With
Sacramento Bee
September 11, 2008
Public Policy Institute of California
Argues 2001 Redistricting Did Not Make Legislators More Partisan
RoseReport.org
September 10, 2008
The Governor, The Money And Prop. 11
San Francisco Chronicle
September 4, 2008
Editorial: Throw California's Legislature
Out If It Can't Get The Job Done
Fresno Bee
September 1, 2008
CCPOA Gives $250,000 To Defeat Prop. 11
Sacramento Bee
August 29, 2008
Prop. 11 Backers File Complaint Against
Perata, Prison Guards Union
Sacramento Bee
August 29, 2008
Gerrymandering A Key Culprit In California
Budget Mess
Los Angeles Times
August 28, 2008
Prop. 11 Will Take Politics Out Of
Redistricting
Marin Independent Journal
August 17, 2008
Reforming Redistricting: Let Independent
Citizens Draw The Lines
Capitol Weekly
August 14, 2008
Democrats Need Not Fear Prop. 11 On
Redistricting
California Progress Report.com
August 14, 2008
Democrats Break Ranks On Prop. 11
San Francisco Chronicle
August 13, 2008
Proposition 11: Fake Redistricting Reform
California Progress Report.com
August 12, 2008
Dan Walters:
California's House Delegation Could Shrink
Sacramento Bee
August 11, 2008
Proposition 11 Has 2 Giant Loop-Holes In
It---And More!
Fox & Hounds Daily.com
August 11th, 2008
Opinion: Would Prop. 11 help minorities?
Los Angeles Times
July 27, 2008
Editorial: Redistricting Threatens
Incumbents
North County Times, Escondido
July 24, 2008
Cavala: California Voters’ Initial
‘Take’ On Redistricting Scheme Presages Its Defeat
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
July 22, 2008
Pelosi Reveals Herself And Makes Case For
Redistricting, Unintentionally
NewAmerica.net
July 18, 2008
Opinion: Proposition 11 Levels The
Redistricting Playing Field
San Jose Mercury
July 16, 2008
House Dems Oppose Calif. Redistricting
Measure
San Francisco Chronicle
July 16, 2008
Cavala: Could Redistricting ‘Reform’
Make California Competitive For John McCain? (No)
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
July 16, 2008
SEIU May Come Out In Favor of Voters’
First
RoseReport.org
July 11, 2008
Nunez Gets $600,000 From Dems’
Redistricting Fund
CapitolWeekly.net
July 10, 2008
Big Money Needed To Redraw Districts
The Sun, San Bernadino and the Inland Empire
July 9, 2008
Commentary: The Initiative Road To Terminal
Government Gridlock
Sacramento Bee
July 8, 2008
Remap Proposal Worries Civil Rights Groups
Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bureau
July 8, 2008
Our View: Perata Won't Fool Us Again
Merced Sun-Star
July 7, 2008
Daniel Weintraub: Voters Beware -
Politicians Will Lie To Kill Proposition 11
Sacramento Bee
July 2, 2008
Gerrymandering The Vote: How A “Dirty
Dozen” States Suppress As Many As 9 Million Voters
Democratic Leadership Council
June 2008
Editorial: Perata's Power Play
San Francisco Chronicle
June 30, 2008
Democrats Fear Redistricting Measure Would
Curb Their Power In State
San Francisco Chronicle
June 27, 2008
Election-Map Initiative Helps Voters, State
Progress
Sacramento Bee
June 27, 2008
Politics And California Redistricting
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
June 27, 2008
Millions On Line In Ballot Drives
Sacramento Bee
June 24, 2008
Democratic Leaders Accused Of Pressuring
Supporters Of Redistricting Measure
Contra Costa Times Sacramento Bureau
June 21, 2008
California Is Branded Among A 'Dirty
Dozen' On Gerrymandering
Los Angeles Times
June 19, 2008
Redistricting In California: Control or
Democracy?
CaliorniaProgressReport.com
June 19, 2008
Changing Method Of Redistricting Makes
Ballot
San Francisco Chronicle
June 18, 2008
Government Reformer Down On Redistricting
Initiative
PolitickerCA.com
June 18, 2008
Redistricting Initiative Makes California
Ballot
San Jose Mercury News
June 17, 2008
Democratic Party Takes Stands On Ballot
Measures
CaliforninaMajorityReport.com
June 17, 2008
Cavala: Republicans Kill Reform Bill That
Hurts GOP Chances While Democrats Support 'Reform' That Hurts Their Chances
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
June 9, 2008
Speaking With The New Speaker
Los Angeles Times
June 2, 2008
Two Plans Created To Reform Districts
Modesto Bee
May 19, 2008
New Speaker Should Focus On Public
Interest
Los Angeles Daily News
May 13, 2008
Why Schwarzenegger's Redistricting Plan
Won't Work
California Majority Report.com
May 13, 2008
Tony Quinn: Redistricting Reform OK, But
It's Only A Start
Sacramento Bee
May 11, 2008
Governor May Face Donor Fatigue
Contra Costa Times
May 11, 2008
California Redistricting Plan Faces Hurdles
Capitol Weekly
May 7, 2008
Dan Walters: Competing Proposals For Remap
Sacramento Bee
May 7, 2008
Initiative On Redistricting Closer To
Ballot
San Francisco Chronicle
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Nunez Pushes Ethics Plan As Rival Petitions
Are Filed
Sacramento Bee
May 7, 2008
To Get Leadership Reform, We First Need
Redistricting
Los Angeles Daily News
May 1, 2008
Good Intentions Could Harm Redistricting
Ballot Measure
Los Angeles Times
April 28, 2008
Redistricting On Track To Qualify,
Consultant Says
New America Foundation.com
April 23, 2008
Why Are GOP Contributors Putting Big Money
Into Redistricting Reform?
California Progress Report.com
April 19, 2008
Gov's
Giving To Remap Measure Tops $1 million
Sacramento Bee Capital Alert
April 21, 2008
‘Due
Process’ Democrats Have Their Heads Buried in the California Sand
California Progress Report.com
April 20, 2008
Opinion: Seeing The Light
Los Angeles Daily News
April 19, 2008
California
Voters FIRST Presents A Balanced And Bipartisan Effort For Redistricting
Reform
California Progress Report.com
April 17, 2008
Schwarzenegger's
Redistricting Plan Comes Under Fire
Contra Costa Times
April 17, 2008
Group Says Plan Will Put A Stop To
Gerrymandering
The Simi Valley Acron
April 4, 2008
The Need For Redistricting Reform From
This California Democrat’s Perspective
California Progress Report.com
April 4, 2008
Labor Says No To
Schwarzenegger/Republican/Common Cause Redistricting Measure
The California Majority Report.com
April 02, 2008
Revenge In Attack On Legislative
Redistricting?
California Progress Report.com
March 31, 2008
Weintraub: Governor Gets Another Shot At
Redistricting Reform
Sacramento Bee
March 30, 2008
Editorial: Can't Legislature Do Better Than
Bills On Dogs, Donkeys?
The Fresno Bee
March 30, 2008
Walters: Voters Irate At Budget Posturing
Sacramento Bee
March 28, 2008
New Foundation To Campaign For More Efficient
California Government
Sacramento Bee
March 27, 2008
Editorial: California Voters Should Support
Redistricting Ballot Measure
Fresno Bee
March 24, 2008
Editorial: Redraw the Map
Los Angeles Daily News
March 22, 2008
Walters: Court Ruling Offers Hope to
Dysfunctional California Politics
Sacramento Bee
March 19, 2008
Supreme Court to Hear Major Redistricting
Case
The Thicket at State Legislatures (ncsl.com)
March 18, 2008
Editorial: Let Citizens Redraw the Map
The Torrance Daily Breeze
March 17, 2008
Walters: Redistrict Reformers Miss Mark
Sacramento Bee
March 10, 2008
Let Citizens
Redraw Map
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
March 9, 2008
Governor Proposes Redistricting Ballot
Measure
North County Times
March 8, 2008
Redistricting Initiative Has Strong
Republican Backing
San Jose Mercury News
March 6, 2008
Governor Gathers Signatures to Qualify
Redistricting Measure
San Jose Mercury News
March 4, 2008
Manipulative Lawmakers Playing To The Crowd
Fresno Bee
February 14, 2008
State Voters Need To Do What Lawmakers
Won't
Los Angeles Daily News
February 14, 2008
Editorial: What We Need In Sacramento,
Redistricting, Not Retaliation
San Jose Mercury News
February 14, 2008
Redistricting Reform, Not Longer Terms, Is
The Answer
California Republic.org
February 12, 2008
The Buzz: A Hardball Tactic Could Ricochet
Sacramento Bee
February 11, 2008
Wake Up, Sacramento Media! Wake Up! Wake
Up! Wake Up!
San Diego Union Tribune
February 8, 2008
Editorial: Passive Aggressive Lawmakers
Just Play to the Crowd
Fresno Bee
February 8, 2008
Nunez Takes Blame For Prop. 93 Loss
Los Angeles Daily News
February 7, 2008
Weingand: Voters Got A Whiff and Said 'No'
Sacramento Bee
February 7, 2008
Lawmakers Believe In Term Limits But
Oppose The Measure
North County Times
February 4, 2008
Good For Us
Los Angeles Times
February 4, 2008
Commentary: A Conversation with Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Sacramento Bee
January 20, 2008
Walters: Two Party Structure Under Fire
Sacramento Bee
January 18, 2008
Walters: Governor's Brownian Flip-Flops
Sacramento Bee
January 16, 2008
Editorial: Corruption of a Good Idea
San Francisco Chronicle
January 15, 2008
Governor Supports Term Limit Measure
Sacramento Bee
January 15, 2008
A Deceptive Prop. 93
San Francisco Chronicle
January 10, 2008
Use Prop. 93 To Say 'No"
dailybreeze.com
January 3, 2008
more
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California Is Branded Among A 'Dirty Dozen' On
Gerrymandering
George Skelton, Columnist
Los Angeles Times
June 19, 2008
SACRAMENTO — Here's an indication of how rotten Democratic-led
gerrymandering is in California:
A national Democratic organization is branding us one of a
"Dirty Dozen" states that has rigged elections and
significantly suppressed voter participation.
Gerrymandering is the infamous practice of legislators choosing
their own voters, rather than allowing voters to fairly choose their
elected representatives. It's the once-a-decade drawing of
legislative and congressional districts, usually with the aim of
protecting -- or increasing -- majority party seats, which in
California means Democrats.
In 2001, Democratic and Republican legislators conspired to protect
each other. Consequently, in the last three election cycles, only
four seats have changed parties in 495 California legislative and
congressional races.
That's real rigging.
"There's a direct correlation between the competitiveness of an
election and turnout," writes Marc Dunkelman, vice president of
the Democratic Leadership Council, in a report titled
"Gerrymandering the Vote: How a 'Dirty Dozen' States Suppress
as Many as 9 Million Voters."
The DLC is a slightly left-of-center policy group that promotes
political moderation and pragmatism. It was founded after liberal
Walter Mondale was crushed in a landslide by President Reagan in
1984. Bill Clinton served as DLC chairman before he ran for
president. The current chairman is former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. of
Tennessee, who narrowly lost a U.S. Senate election in 2006 and
intends to run for governor in 2010.
Dunkelman studied only gerrymandering of congressional districts
nationwide, but the same principle of voter turnoff applies to
legislative races. If contests aren't competitive, he notes, the
news media yawn, the public goes to sleep, and many people don't
bother to vote.
When elected representatives "can't lose, voters do -- because
it takes pressure off" the politicians to do their jobs,
Dunkelman asserts.
Studying the November 2006 elections, Dunkelman found that the
average margin of victory in California congressional contests was
43%. That ranked ninth-biggest -- or worst, from a competitive
standpoint -- in the nation.
Figuring the average turnout in competitive races nationwide --
those with victory margins under 10% -- and applying it to all
contests, the researcher calculated that gerrymandering suppressed
3.1 million potential votes in California. The vote total was about
8.9 million, or roughly 35% fewer than what might have been.
Nationally, almost 11 million votes were suppressed by
gerrymandering, Dunkelman asserts. Of these, 9 million were in the
"Dirty Dozen" states. Besides California, they're Alabama,
Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
Dunkelman says the constitutional framers "intended for the
House of Representatives to be the organ of government most in tune
with the electorate's opinion. Unfortunately, gerrymandering has put
a wedge between the will of the people and their voices in
Washington. The result has been a drop-off in the number of
Americans who choose to participate in democracy."
The same applies, of course, to the state Legislature.
Allan Hoffenblum, publisher of the California Target Book, which
handicaps legislative and congressional races, estimates that only
"about a half-dozen" out of 80 Assembly contests will be
competitive in November. Probably just one of 20 Senate races will
be close -- and likewise merely one of 53 congressional elections.
"The point of gerrymandering is to prevent competition under
any circumstances," says Hoffenblum, a former GOP consultant.
The "Dirty Dozen" report is especially timely because an
initiative qualified Tuesday for the November ballot that would
seize the Legislature's power to draw its own districts and give the
job to an independent citizens commission.
Congressional lines, however, still would be drawn by the
Legislature -- a strategic move aimed at heading off campaign
opposition from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). She
wouldn't trust the fate of Democratic seats in California to a bunch
of citizen noncombatants.
In only 12 states is the legislature denied ultimate power over its
own redistricting. Just six states give congressional redistricting
to another entity.
The California initiative is the product of nonpartisan
good-government groups that got fed up waiting for the Legislature
to reform redistricting, as it had promised: Common Cause, AARP, the
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters.
The proposal also is supported by the ACLU of Southern California
and a new reform group, California Forward.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave $550,000 from his political kitty
for signature-collecting. He's a campaign co-chairman with former
Democratic state Controller Steve Westly.
The initiative is opposed by several civil rights groups -- the
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the NAACP --
because, for one thing, it would set up two different redistricting
processes for Congress and the Legislature. That would dilute their
lobbying efforts, the groups argue.
I suspect that they would prefer to deal only with their political
buddies in the Legislature.
Not surprisingly, the California Democratic Party last week went on
record against the measure.
It's paradoxical that the party of voter suppression through
gerrymandering depends heavily on big turnouts to pass its liberal
agendas: taxes, bonds, new spending programs.
"We see it as an Austrian Trojan horse," says party
strategist Bob Mulholland. "This is an initiative put together
in Schwarzenegger's living room and it smells."
Says Republican Wayne Johnson, consultant for the pro-initiative
side: "Political parties tend to be dominated by elected
officials. Since this measure forbids incumbency to be taken into
serious consideration in redistricting, it may be good for the body
politic, but it's not good for incumbents."
Gerrymandering is good for Democratic leaders, bad for democracy.
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