Campbell Hosts Redistricting Meeting

Most of the lines redrawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will not have much of a political impact. That's according to a forum held Wednesday evening by the Santa Clara Valley League of Women Voters in Campbell.

But there are some exceptions, such as how the Garlic City will be represented in the U.S. Congress.

“This is Gilroy. This is half of Gilroy in District 19,” said San Jose State University political scientist Terry Christensen, pointing to an enlarged map of the new districts, “And this is half of Gilroy in District 20.”

The audience members, a full house in the Orchard City Banquet Room at the Campbell Community Center, groaned. Congressional District 19 will include Gilroy along with neighboring Morgan Hill, San Martin and parts of San Jose, Christensen said.

Congressional District 20 will include half of Gilroy, along with portions of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.

Other changes include separating Los Gatos, Campbell and Cupertino and Gilroy from Congressional District 15, which has been represented by U.S. Rep Mike Honda for years. The change means those elected to represent these communities live closer to their towns.

Campbell, currently represented by Joe Simitian in the 11th Senate District, Jim Beall, in the 24th Assembly District and Honda in 15th Congressional District, will be in new Assembly District 28, Senate District 15 and Congressional District 18.

Cupertino, currently represented by Paul Fong, in the 22nd Assembly District, Simitian in the 11th Senate District and Honda in the 15th Congressional District, will be in new Assembly Districts 24 and 28, Senate District 15 and Congressional District 17.

And Los Gatos, currently represented by Sam Blakeslee in the 15th Senate District, Rich Gordon in the 21st Assembly District, Beall, in the 24th Assembly District and Honda in the 15th Congressional District, will be in the new Assembly District 28, Senate District 15 and Congressional District 18.

The changes have been made possible at county and city levels because the rules are less strict than at the state level, explained Christensen. State redistricting lines must be redrawn so that they impact no more than one percent of the population, but the state level can be up to 10 percent.

The other speaker, Santa Clara County's Citizens Redistricting Committee Chairwoman Susanne Wilson, gave an overview of “best practices” for redistricting: minimize community fragmentation, maintain community’s interests, and avoid gerrymandering, or drawing party lines to avoid packing who you want into community districts.

Will the current maps, which were redrawn in time for the June 2012 primary, stay the same? The answer depends on whether the courts issue an order precluding their use.

There is currently a Republican referendum to redraw the lines, said Wilson, but it needs 504,760 signatures by Nov. 13 to pass.

“I don’t think they’ll get the signatures, unless they pay a million dollars,” said Christensen, pointing out that it takes at least that much money to get an initiative on the ballot.

Outside of the Gilroy congressional split, audience members appeared satisfied with most of the changes made to the Bay Area.

“It looks like redistricting will have a minimal impact,” said Campbell resident Madalyn Perrin.

“Los Gatos will be happy to be out of a gerrymandering district,” said resident Dale Hill. “I’m happy to be represented by someone who isn’t so far away.”