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Although a step in the right direction, redistricting may not be as democratic if handed over to a commission of retired judges.

November 15, 2011—San Diego, CA. Thanks in part to the efforts of the Communities in Unity Redistricting Coalition (CIU), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is considering a move that would forfeit their redistricting powers to an independent commission. However, the proposal brought forth by Supervisor Greg Cox would have the commission made up of panel of retired judges. Although enacting an independent commission to draw up district maps is a step in the right direction, a panel of citizens representing the various communities in San Diego would ensure a fairer redistricting process, said speakers from the public, during the County Board of Supervisor’s meeting on October 11th.

Supervisor Cox claimed retired judges were the best choice for a redistricting commission because judges would be more objective than a panel of citizens and retired judges were more likely to be impartial. Cox used the redistricting process of 1991 as a model for his proposal—this redistricting was conducted by judges after the state legislature and Governor were unable to agree on a map.  By many accounts, the judges produced a non-partisan map.

The Board, save for Supervisor Bill Horn, were ready to accept Cox’s proposal. “The people have spoken twice and they don’t want elected officials doing their redistricting,” said Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, referring to the newly formed State Redistricting Commission.

Horn believed that those who objected to redistricting by politicians did not speak for the majority of San Diegans and were trying to change a system that was not broken. “It seems like we are reacting to a very vocal minority that came in here at the last moment during what I thought was a very fair process,” said Horn. “I don’t want to let a small vocal minority change a system which I think is very fair—we’ve proven to be fair.”

The CIU thought otherwise. The original map, presented to the Board by their advisory committee, failed to included what the ACLU argued was a legally required “majority-minority district” in the South Bay. In the face of this legal argument and mounting public pressure, from the CIU and even the Union-Tribune Editorial Board, the Board of Supervisors finally approved a map that better recognized the voting rights of communities of color.

At last month’s meeting, a few slight modifications were made to the proposal but the importance of having a panel of citizens was shot down. Slater-Price agreed with Cox that the redistricting process of 1991 proved that judges had merit and were best suited to the task of drawing new districts. Ron Roberts said that judges were not necessarily unbiased but were the best choice for the job.
Speakers at the meeting commended the Board for the steps taken towards an independent commission but recommended more citizen input in the redistricting process. “Although appointing a commission of citizens seems cumbersome, sloppy, potentially argumentative, political and messy—it is also democratic,” said Brian Pollard of the NAACP. “The democratic process is also cumbersome, sloppy, argumentative and political yet it is the best process in the world.”

Creation of an independent redistricting commission is a step in the right direction, even if it is a late decision. The new process will not affect the current supervisors because of term limits, they will be out of office by the time redistricting comes around again. Hopefully, those chosen for the next redistricting will be representative of the diversity of San Diego County. Retired judges are the best choice according to the Supervisors, but perhaps a citizen panel is the perfect choice.

by Lara McCaffrey, Community Action Reporter, EMPOWERStudents!