Prop 11 Redistricting in CA
This morning the three member state “applicant review panel” voted unanimously to drop another 309 applicants from consideration to serve on the Citizens Redistricting Commission leaving a balance of 314 who are closely monitoring the process.
Larry. Who are the members of this panel? Valid question. They are each members of the state auditors office in Sacramento. Republican Nasir Ahmadi, Decline to State member Mary Camacho and Democratic Party representative Kerri Spano.
Their next task is to further reduce this number to 120 of the most qualified with a tougher task to cut it to 60 that must include 20 registered Republicans, 20 Democrats, and 20 other party representatives.
As readers may recall in 2008 California voters approved Prop 11 which called for “redrawing the lines” in our state based on the 2010 census. When this process began earlier this year 30,725 voters submitted applications of which only 4547 actually provided completed packages of data for consideration.
At their June 11th meeting the panel reduced that pool to 622 and added one other applicant making a total of 623 voters still being considered for service. After listening to public comments from representatives of the NAACP, Common Cause and AARP this morning they voted unanimously to remove another 309 applicants who did not receive a single favorable vote from the panel after the last cycle.
We heard each of the panelists and speakers acknowledge their duty to make their final recommendations based upon five characteristics of diversity. Those are: political, racial and ethnicity, gender, economic and demographic/county diversity.
Jim Wright, a voter from San Jose, expressed his concern that they were neglecting the “average person” in their decision making. He asked where is the young college student, Joe the Plumber types, a small business owner to go along with attorneys and those with big business or voters rights background.
Another speaker mentioned two ballot measures that may add more pressure as the panel continues their work. Specifically Prop 27 to eliminate their powers and Prop 20 to broaden the task to include redistricting of Congressional districts.
Having reviewed some of the applicant document packages provided by those still in the pool I would say their background and purported skills are very impressive. Let me also point out that having followed the Commission meetings on line they are truly doing a commendable job in their role of deciding who will stay and who is to be cut.
The panel did remind all finalists to be sure to submit their form #700 by the July 12th deadline to avoid being dropped from consideration.
Following is a listing of the 27 Orange County applicants who remain under consideration.
Christine Ann Allcorn Fountain Valley, Lisa Diane Alvarez Silverado, Benjamin Alvillar Tustin
Kevin P. Boylan Los Alamitos, Ronald Terry Carr Santa Ana, Eric E. Codorniz Aliso Viejo,
Edward N. Duran San Clemente, John M Goodman Garden Grove, Peggy Huang Yorba Linda, Matthew G Jarvis Placentia, Mel M K Kong Costa Mesa,Carol Ann Lind Yorba Linda, Robert Jeffery Manning Newport Beach
Mary Ann Meade-Poladian San Clemente, Baiju D Mehta Anaheim, Pauline E. Merry Garden Grove
Michael V. Olds Irvine, Yasuo Ronald Osajima Yorba Linda,Bev Perry Brea, Larry A Pomatto Santa Ana, Virginia R Purvis Yorba Linda, Victoria Ramirez Anaheim, Linda L. Rife Tustin, Linda C Rogers Garden Grove
Quang Tue Tran Buena Park, Frank Tucker Dana Point,Michael Ward Anaheim.
A sidebar. Of this O.C. listing Mr. Alvillar, Mr Duran and Ms. Victoria Ramirez are the only Hispanic or Latino candidates. As of this time I am not sure if any of the OC applicants have made this morning’s cut to 314.
There is only one name I recognize in the O.C. group. Bev Perry from Brea who once served as president of the League of Cities.
PS: This effort does not end at 60 names.
Voters First “Act amended Article XXI of the state constitution and enacted Title 2, Division 1, Chapter 3.2 of the Government Code. These changes transfer authority for establishing Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization district boundaries from elected representatives to a fourteen member commission. The commission is chosen as follows:
Government auditors select sixty registered voters from an applicant pool.
Legislative leaders are permitted to reduce the pool.
Auditors then pick eight commission members by lottery, and those commissioners pick six additional members for a total of fourteen.”
Bottom line. This entire process has been very transparent.
Thanks for the information. I was actually curious about who was on the Commission and didn’t realize they were still going through the process. I was planning to search the web tonight for this info. You saved me a few minutes which I will now use to read more blogs. .
Larry,
Although I usually disagree with Dwight on everything, I concur with him here. I’m always grateful when you do the digging and save me the time to have to go find it myself. Excellent report.
newbie.
Thank you!
PS: Dwight is not a bad guy. We even sat together at the June 14th Flag Day event.