Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines introduced a redistricting reform measure today. Good for him. I hope that the Governor picks this as an issue of importance to help usher through. Maybe he can prevail on the Democrats to sign on and make California’s legislative races more competitive (and therefore, more democratic). From Villines’ office:
REPUBLICAN LEADER VILLINES
INTRODUCES REDISTRICTING REFORM MEASURE
Legislation Strips Powers from Politicians, Returns Them to the People
SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, of Clovis, today introduced legislation that will take away the power to draw legislative district lines from Sacramento politicians, placing them instead in the hands of a nonpartisan, independent commission.
“It is neither fair, nor democratic to have a redistricting system that does not allow for any real competition in legislative elections,” Villines said. “Assembly Republicans are committed to common-sense redistricting reform that takes the drawing of legislative district lines out of the hands of the politicians and restores those powers to the people, and I am hopeful that my legislation will be the catalyst to reform.”
Under Villines’ measure, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4, the Legislature would appoint an independent commission every ten years following the Census to draw new legislative district lines. The proposed constitutional amendment directs the new independent commission to draw the maximum number of districts possible that ensure competitive elections between the parties, and keep cities, counties, and regions with similar interests together in the same district whenever possible.
During the 2004 and 2006 election cycles, not one legislative seat in California changed hands between the parties, and only one congressional incumbent lost to a member of the other party.
“Speaker Núñez has stated publicly on many occasions that he is willing to work across party lines to craft redistricting reforms that remove any connection to the politicians in Sacramento,” Villines said. “I believe that redistricting reform is simply too important to be caught up in the usual political games this year. I look forward to working closely with the Speaker and the Governor to set aside partisan politics and finally achieve our shared goal – bipartisan redistricting reform that restores a healthy democracy in California.”