Community Forum Discusses State Redistricting and Its Impacts

The League of Women Voters of Santa Clara County is hosting an event tonight to discuss redistricting and what that means for local communities, like Campbell.

The event takes place at the Orchard City Banquet Room at the Campbell Community Center. Doors open at 7:15 p.m., coffee will be available, and the event is scheduled to go to 9:15 p.m.

Speakers will begin at about 7:35 p.m. and will discuss Power Point Presentations. In typical league procedure, residents with questions will write them down on cards to be collected and then answered by the speakers.

The two speakers tonight are Susanne Wilson, chair of the Redistricting Commission, former Santa Clara County Supervisor and first woman President of the Association of Bay Area Governments as well as San Jose State University Political Science Professor, specializing in state and local politics Terry Christensen.

"Our goal is to inform people because we think redistricting is a significant issue," says Shirley Hill, Vice President for Programs for the League of South West Santa Clara Valley.

Hill says residents interested in attending should be people who are interested in learning what has happened with the redistricting committee and what the league thinks will be the results.

Campbell, formerly 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.

The maps will take effect in time for the June 2012 primary, unless the courts issue an order precluding their use.

For more information on the event, call 408-867-8683.

Sheila Sanchez and Alejandro Lopez de Haro contributed to this story.