Proposition 20 on the California ballot would take redistricting of Congressional districts out of the hands of the state legislature and give it to the Redistricting Commission. That commission was formed as a result of Proposition 11 on the 2008 ballot; Proposition 11 took redistricting of the state legislature away from the state legislature.
Proponents of the measure argue that it will help to create fair districts. Opponents argue that Proposition 27 is the better measure and Proposition 20 would waste money.
Proposition 27 would eliminate the Redistricting Commission; essentially, it would reverse the passage of Proposition 11. That would continue the system used in 2000 that gave California zero competitive districts: Every district was gerrymandered. It’s worked quite well to help our legislature be, well, partisan.
I think you can guess how I’ll be voting on these measures. It’s interesting to see that the Sierra Club is against Proposition 20 while the AARP and the NAACP are for it.
Tags: CalBallot2010