Proposition 20: Redistricting – Congressional Districts

Citizen Voice’s Nonpartisan Election Project

Listen or Download the Audio Version of the Prop. 20 “Mini-Debate”
Easy-to-use Citizen Voice Prop. 20 Ballot Measure Summary (.pdf)

In 2008 voters passed Proposition 11, which took the job of drawing California’s legislative district boundaries out of the hands ofelected officials in the state Legislature and put it in the hands of a special Citizens Redistricting Commission, made up of five Californians who are Democrats, five Republicans and four voters who aren’t registered with either major political party. That law only applied to the state legislative districts and not to U.S. Congressional districts within California. Proposition 20 would move the job of drawing the Congressional districts to the same Citizen Commission.

Of note, a competing ballot measure, Proposition 27, also deals with redistricting. If both Proposition 20 and Proposition 27 are approved by voters, whichever one gets more “yes” votes will be the only one to go into effect.

Supporters of Proposition 20 say Proposition 20 will ensure we have more fair districts that can hold congressional representatives accountable to voters, and make it easier to vote them out of office when they don’t do their jobs. Supporters also say Proposition 20 would ensure the redistricting process is more public and transparent. That, they say, would end the “backroom dealing” that enables state legislators to draw district boundaries more favorably for their friends in Congress and make it easier for one major party or the other to keep a particular seat.
Supporters of Proposition 20 include the AARP, California Common Cause, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Latin Business Association, the California Chamber of Commerce, Cal-Tax, and the California State Conference of the NAACP.

Opponents of Proposition 20 criticize it as a waste of taxpayer dollars, saying it will unnecessarily double the budget for redistricting at a time when the state is already $19 billion in debt. Opponents also state that the Citizens Commission is an unelected body accountable to no one.

Opponents of Proposition 1A include The Sierra Club, Californians Against Waste, the Congress of California Seniors, and the California Coalition for Leadership and Accountability.

More info:

Yes on Proposition 20: www.yesprop20.org

No on Proposition 20: www.noprop20.org

This is Citizen Voice’s easy-to-use summary of the proposition. For the ballot pamphlet version go to www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov.