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        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

Groups Propose Redistricting Plan For State Lawmakers
The proposal would take the power of drawing state Senate and Assembly districts away from lawmakers.

By Patrick McGreevy
Los Angeles Times
October 24, 2007

SACRAMENTO -- The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, California Common Cause and AARP proposed an initiative Tuesday that would change the way the state's legislative districts are drawn, taking the politically sensitive matter away from lawmakers.

Leaders of the organizations, saying they are frustrated with the political gridlock on redistricting, filed the proposed measure with the state attorney general as the first step toward putting it on the November 2008 ballot; coalition organizers said they hoped to collect 1 million signatures if the Legislature does not agree to submit the measure to voters.

"Legislators draw their own districts, which is a fundamental conflict of interest," said Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause. "We have seen time and again cities and communities carved up as part of incumbents protecting themselves."

The proposed "Voters FIRST Act" was submitted because of concern that state legislators have not been able to reach consensus on a redistricting proposal, and the legislative year is running down, Feng said.

If approved by voters, the measure would create a 14-person redistricting commission made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and four others. The commissioners would be chosen through a public application process created by the state auditor. The review panel will narrow the pool of contenders to 60. After that, the four top legislative leaders would cut the pool to 36. Eight commissioners would be selected by random drawing from the 36 candidates, and those eight would select the other six commission members.

Those who have been appointed to, elected to or were a candidate for federal or state office within the last 10 years would not be eligible to join the panel.

The new districts would be required to have equal populations, comply with the Voting Rights Act and respect the geographic integrity of any city, county or community of interest.

"Incumbent residences may not be considered; districts may not be drawn to protect incumbents," according to the ballot measure. The final map would not go into effect unless approved by at least three Democrats, three Republicans and three other commissioners.