AARP California Joins Voters First Redistricting Initiative
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-12-14 15:44:30.250143-05:00
Every 10 years, after the national census, California is required to redraw the political boundary lines for the State Legislature, the State Board of Equalization and California Congressional districts. Currently, the state legislature creates and approves these districts. It is time to change the process before Californians are saddled with another decade of noncompetitive districts.
California Voters First is a broad-based nonpartisan coalition that includes AARP, California Common Cause, the L.A. Chamber of Commerce, and the League of Women Voters. In November 2007, the coalition submitted language to the attorney general's office for a ballot measure to reform California's method of redistricting. Upon receiving title and summary, CA Voters First will initiate a signature-gathering campaign to qualify the proposal for the November 2008 general election ballot.
AARP is proud to join this broad-based, bipartisan coalition to change the way legislative districts are drawn. A large percentage of our more than 3 million California members are active voters and therefore have a strong interest in this issue.
The fact is that allowing politicians to create their own districts, as happened in 2001, represents a serious conflict of interest. Current legislative district lines were drawn to protect incumbents, and this is the main reason that 99% of incumbents get re-elected every year. Essentially, politicians are choosing their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives. It's time we put the voters of California back in charge. And that is why AARP has been working with this coalition for the last two years to draft this initiative.
From AARP's perspective, fair legislative boundaries that are truly representative of the community would increase the effectiveness of our grassroots efforts throughout the state by compelling candidates to address the issues important to our 3.2 million members. But this is about more than our members - it's about ensuring that all Californians have a say in their government and are truly represented in the legislature. We believe this initiative, once passed by voters in California, will be a national model.
Simply put, AARP believes that the first step toward true representative government is to take the redistricting process out of the hands of elected officials.
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