Editorials & Opinion Pieces

Sacramento Bee 2/17/2013 Editorial: Redistricting reform – or lack of it – is a game changer

Fox & Hounds Daily 8/16/2012 A Rebuttal – Redistricting Reform and Top-Two Primary

KCET 2/27/2012 Commentary - Time for Another Ballot Measure About Redistricting

Townhall.com 2/27/2012 Redistricting California Style – Bad Idea Gone Bad (Part 3)

Fox & Hounds Daily 2/24/2012 California Redistricting could have been much worse for GOP

Townhall.com 2/20/2012 Redistricting California Style – Bad Idea Gone Bad (Part 2)

Santa Monica Mirror 2/18/2012 Advice For GOP On Congress: Develop Wide Appeal

Ventura County Star 2/17/2012 Editorial: Voter-approved reforms shaking up county races

San Jose Mercury News 2/16/2012 Mercury News editorial: Citizen commission got the job done on redistricting

Long Beach Press Telegram 2/14/2012 Thomas D. Elias: California GOP needs to redo positions, not district lines

Townhall.com 2/13/2012 Redistricting California Style – Bad Idea Gone Bad (Part 1)

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 2/6/2012 PD Editorial: GOP needs to court voters, not judges

Stockton Record 2/1/2012 Let commission's map stand

USA Today 1/31/2012 Editorial: Calif. redistricting good model for other states

USA Today 1/31/2012 Opposing View: Partisanship corrupted redistricting panel

Merced Sun-Star 1/31/2012 Our View: GOP needs to accept redistricting

Huffington Post 1/30/2012 Republicans Lose Big on Redistricting Gamble, Brown Moves Forward

Modesto Bee 1/30/2012 California Republicans should back redistricting course

Contra Costa Times 1/27/2012 Contra Costa Times editorial: Court was right to allow election to be conducted

Sacramento Bee 1/28/2012 Editorial: GOP keeps having bad days in court

For 2011 editorials, click here.

Redistricting Commission

Redistricting Commission Home Page


Citizens Redistricting Commission Announces FY 12/13 Funding Approved - Public Services Will Continue


First Draft Maps

Final Certified Maps

Opposition to the Final Certified Maps (F.A.I.R.)

Court Cases

Connerly v. State of California

This action was dismissed with prejudice on December 21, 2012. The  ruling may be found by using the case number on the court document  search page.

Case Number 34-2011-80000966-CU-WM-GDS
Court document search page

Amicus Brief 10/4/2012

Order postponing hearing 5/25/2012

Reply in support of demurrer 5/24/2012

Opposition to demurrer 5/18/2012

Demurrer 12/16/2011

Compliant & Petition 9/28/2012

George Radanovich, et al. v. Debra Bowen, et al.

Order to dismiss 2/9/2012

Vandermost v. Bowen (S198387)

Leagel.com 1/30/2012 Vandermost v. Bowen: The opinion of the Court.

Opinion Published (PDF) 1/27/2012

Letter to the Court regarding USDOJ Preclearance 1/19/2012

California Channel Video: California Supreme Court Special Session Oral Arguments
Notes: oral argument was held on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., in San Francisco. 

Case Summary

Case Docket

Documents Submitted
Updated to include documents submitted through January 9, 2012

California Supreme Court

Press Release (PDF) 1/27/2012

Calendar Notice - Special Session January 10, 2012

Press release 12/9/2011

Upload or View Documents

News Coverage November 2012

California Secretary of State - Proposition 40 Official Results

KCET 11/7/2012 California is More Blue Because of Republican-Backed Prop 20

Academic

Redistricting California: An Evaluation of the Citizens Commission Final Plans
February 2012
California Journal of Politics and Policy [paywall]

Redistricting California: An Evaluation of the Citizens Commission Final Plans 9/13/2011
Vladimir Kogan University of California, San Diego and Eric McGhee Public Policy Institute of California
Scheduled to be published in the California Journal of Politics and Policy in January 2012

All About Redistricting - California
Professor Justin Levitt's guide to drawing the electoral lines
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles

Proposition 40

Articles concerning Proposition 40 have been moved to a separate page. Click Here.

Ballot Initiative Qualification

A referendum has qualified for the ballot that, if passed, would re-open the maps of California State Senate districts to examination and revision. If approved by voters, it is most likely that districts will be left as they are or that there might be slight boundary adjustments to a handful of districts.

At least 504,160 verified signatures were required to qualify for the ballot. 

The random sample projected 513,024 valid signatures.
511,457 signatures were verified by the deadline on February 24, 2012.

The referendum will appear on the November 2012 general election ballot.
It one of eleven now qualified for that ballot.
It will appear on the ballot as Proposition 40.

Full verification count by county (PDF)

From the California Secretary of State web site:
Redistricting. State Senate Districts. Referendum.
Summary Date: 08/26/11 | Qualified: 02/24/12 | Signatures Required: 504,760
Proponent: Julie Vandermost c/o Charles H. Bell, Jr. (916) 442-7757
State Senate districts are revised every ten years following the federal census. This year, the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission revised the boundaries of the 40 Senate districts. This referendum petition, if signed by the required number of registered voters and filed with the Secretary of State, will: (1) Place the revised State Senate boundaries on the ballot and prevent them from taking effect unless approved by the voters at the next statewide election; and (2) Require court-appointed officials to set interim boundaries for use in the next statewide election. (11-0028)

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