Category Archives: citizen commissions

Roll Call reports.

The NY Times offers this editorial on the Arizona redistricting commission controversy.

Laurie Roberts: “Having said that, the remedy isn’t to go all banana republic(an) on us and try to toss the chairman on some trumped up charges.This not only makes the Republicans look desperate, it puts their own self interest on display in a most unflattering fashion. The Republicans should just do what every red-blooded, God fearing, flag waving American does: Sue.”

Morgan Kousser has written this oped for the SF Chronicle. It concludes: “If seeing neater lines that split somewhat fewer cities on a flat, featureless map and knowing that incumbents are busier than ever raising money are more important to you than preserving schools and health care, then by all means celebrate the Citizens Redistricting Commission. But don’t delude yourself that the new boundaries will lead to more moderation, many competitive districts, equal representation of minority ethnic groups or a viable state Legislature.”

Roll Call reports.

See here.

Roll Call reports.

Political Wire: “Arizona’s Republican-controlled state Senate voted to endorse Gov. Jan Brewer’s (R) removal of the independent chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, ‘triggering a rush to court and the likely start of an unprecedented constitutional battle,’ the Arizona Republic reports.”

According to The Fix, Republicans made gains with partisan redistricting but Dems made gains in states with redistricting commissions.

If this pans out, it is likely to increase Republican opposition to commission-based districting.

Whoa.

My good friends at Horvitz and Levy have the details, and the procedures of what may happen next in the courts.

The LA Times reports, with the subhead: “New voting maps, drawn for the first time by a citizens panel instead of by lawmakers, melded Rep. Howard Berman’s San Fernando Valley district with that of Rep. Brad Sherman, also a Democrat. Neither is yielding the ground, to the consternation of party leaders.”

The Fix reports.

AzCapitolTimes reports.

This must-read NYT report suggests the difficulties of using “nonpartisan” administration in these very partisan times.

Cynthia Dal has written this LA Times oped.

The LA Times reports.

The Arizona Daily Star reports.

Fox News reports.

Here.  It concludes: “Lawsuits don’t mean the process has failed. It had some holes, and there is room for improvement. But its mission has been accomplished. The political parties no longer pick their voters.”

The Fix reports.

The virtual writ petition.

Here.

John Myers reports for KQED.

“The Democrats knew what they were doing, and Republicans were asleep at the switch.”

–California Republican Party Chairman Shawn Steel, commenting upon California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission.

The Los Angeles Daily News offers this report, via Jessica Levinson, who has more links.

Roll Call reports.

No word yet on whether there will be a lawsuit, or an attempt to subject this plan to a referendum (and there’s some confusion over how that would work, if it happens).

AP reports. The LA Times offers “California Redistricting Panel Got Earful About Draft Maps.”

The SacBee reports.

Whoa.

That’s Tony Quinn’s allegation.  For Republicans like Tony who expected that a nonpartisan commission would lead to better outcomes for Republicans than Democrat-drawn plans, this must be a disappointing moment.