September 27, 2005
To the Editor:
The League of Women Voters of California has long supported redistricting legislation for California that would include an independent commission reflecting California's diversity; an open, accessible process for public input and scrutiny; and fair criteria for drawing the lines. Unfortunately, the only redistricting measure on the November ballot is the Costa Initiative, Proposition 77.
Concerns about Prop 77 include:
- The makeup of its redistricting panel ( three retired judges who cannot reflect the diversity of the state and who cannot be held accountable for their actions);
- Flaws in the standards for drawing lines;
- The provision calling for a "mid-decade" redistricting that would rely on outdated census data and could jeopardize the administration of the 2006 elections (if redistricting is
conducted based on outdated data from the 2000 census, the redistricting will ignore three million new Californians); and
- The requirement that every new set of plans would require a vote of the people( Prop 77 requires passage of a statewide ballot measure before new district lines can become permanent every decade).
The League, along with other voting rights advocates including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), believes that Californians should reject this flawed measure and press the legislature and governor to propose real reform in next year's legislative session.
Vote with the League -- Vote NO on Prop 77.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Maxner, President, League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula
Anne Herendeen, President, League of Women Voters of the Salinas Valley
