Citizens Redistricting Commission to Release Draft Maps

Citizens Redistricting Commission to Release Draft Maps

Caroline Griffith, EcoNews Journalist

The body charged with redrawing district boundaries for California’s State Senate and Assembly, and U.S. Congressional Districts is set to release draft district maps at the beginning of November. The Citizens Redistricting Commission has been gathering public input since August on Communities of Interest, which are the cultural, environmental and economic ties that bind our communities together.

According to the California Constitution, the Commission must draw the lines to keep Communities of Interest together in order for them to receive fair and effective representation. One fear on the North Coast is that we might be redistricted with counties to the east, rather than staying with our current district partners, with whom we share more in common environmentally, culturally and politically.

Draft maps can be found at www.wedrawthelinesca. org/ by searching for “Visualizations.” Citizens will be able to comment on draft maps until mid-December. Final maps must be certified by December 27.