In November 2008, California voters passed the Voters FIRST Act, authorizing the creation of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw new state assembly and state senate district lines, taking the job out of the hands of the California Legislature and transferring it to the citizens. In 2010, the VOTERS FIRST Act for Congress added the responsibility of drawing Congressional districts to the Commission. The 14-member Commission is made up of five Republicans, five Democrats, and 4 not affiliated with either of those two parties. The Commission must draw the district lines in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create districts of relatively equal population that will provide fair representation for all Californians.
This once-a-decade redistricting process enters its final phase in November when the state's independent redistricting commission is set to release draft maps of new House of Representatives and state Legislature districts on November 15.
As of right now the Commission does not have any actual draft maps released. What they have are “visualizations,” which group certain geographic areas that might make up a district or cluster of districts, for purposes of discussion. Visualizations show hypothetical district-based boundaries for limited geographic areas from the line drawers in response to preliminary direction from the Commission. These visualizations are created to allow the Commissioners to review potential options. Visualizations are not statewide plans. Visualizations may include multiple mutually exclusive scenarios.
The visualizations for November 2 can be viewed here: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/visualizations.
The visualizations for Contra Costa County's congressional districts, senate districts, and assembly districts are included in Attachment A.
Timeline of Process:
February - July 2021: Education Presentations (California Redistricting Basics)
June - September 2021: Public Input Meetings (Communities of Interest)
August 12, 2021: Census Data Received by the State
September 20, 2021: Final dataset provided to Commission and Public with People in State Custody Reallocated
October - November 2021: Public Input Meetings/Line Drawing Sessions
No Later than November 15, 2021: Preliminary Draft District Maps Released
*14 days following the release of Preliminary Draft District Maps, the Commission may not display any other maps for public comment during this period.
November-December 2021: Following Release of Preliminary Draft Maps: Additional Public Input Meetings and Line Drawing Sessions
December 2021: Possible additional draft District Maps Released
No Later than December 23, 2021: Display of Commission Approved Final Maps
No Later than December 27, 2021: Final District Maps Certified to Secretary of State
Options for Participation:
Map Requirements
- First Preliminary Maps must be displayed no later than November 15, 2021.
- Public comment shall be taken for at least 14 days from the date of public display of the first preliminary statewide maps of the Congressional, State Senatorial, Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts.
- The Commission shall not display any other map for public comment during the 14-day period.
- Public comment shall be taken for at least seven days from the date of public display of any subsequent preliminary statewide maps.
- Public comment shall be taken for at least three days from the date of public display of any final statewide maps.
- Final Maps must be certified to the Secretary of State by December 27, 2021. Because of #5, final maps will need to be displayed by December 23, 2021.
- With each of the four final maps, the Commission must issue a report that explains why its decisions in achieving compliance with the various criteria listed in subdivision (d) and must include definitions of the terms and standards used in drawing each final map.
- The four final redistricting maps must be approved by at least nine affirmative votes which must include at least three votes of members registered from each of the two largest political parties in California based on registration and three votes from members who are not registered with either of these two political parties.
- “Day” means a calendar day, except that if the final day of a period within which an act is to be performed is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the period is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.
- Nine or more affirmative votes shall be required for any official action; Nine members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
- Notice for meetings, the purpose of which is to seek public input must be agendized for at least fourteen calendar days. Meetings for which public input is not the purpose, must be agendized for at least ten calendar days. For the final fifteen days prior the finalization of maps, public meetings require only three days’ notice.
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