[EL] Models for local districting

[Barry Burden]

Dane County (Wisconsin) has adopted a nonpartisan redistricting commission of 11 community members that will be used for the first time next year. A general overview of the process with a link to the underlying details can be found here: https://www.danecountyplanning.com/Projects/Redistricting

Barry

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Barry C. Burden
Professor, Department of Political Science
Director, Elections Research Center (elections.wisc.edu)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Twitter: @bcburden
Web: barryburden.info
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________________________________
From: Law-election <law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu> on behalf of rafferty at gmail.com <rafferty at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 1, 2020 12:07 AM
To: Cover, Benjamin (bcover at uidaho.edu) <bcover at uidaho.edu>
Cc: law-election at department-lists.uci.edu <law-election at department-lists.uci.edu>
Subject: Re: [EL] Models for local districting

In California, the Fair Maps Act (eff. 1/2020) provides new substantive guidelines EC 21601 as well as hearing requirements (4 meetings) EC 21608.
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB849
An important requirement is that public comments be accepted in writing or electronically, and posted or summarized online.   EC 21608(e), (f).
First time districting must also comply with EC 10010, which requires five hearings.
I represented CVRA petitioners in what I believe to be the first two cities to complete districting under the new law.   City of Napa did better.  I'd still like to see an online forum that allowed the public to post maps interact, recognizing that some moderation might be necessary.
Napa had two workshops the Sunday before lockdown.   In between them, I saw first-hand the boldest minority outreach ever:  the city manager in the ambo of the city's largest church delivering an extra sermon on the CVRA, translated by the priest to a couple thousand people attending the Spanish mass.  Then, the priest chimed in, telling the assembled multitude that they shouldn't complain about bad sidewalks unless they went to the city's mapping workshop in the parish hall after mass.

You referred to a districting body.   EC 23000, et seq. provides standards for advisory and independent commissions.   As part of settling a Section 2 claim, West Contra Costa USD proposed an independent commission.   The stipulation is at WCCUSD.net and adds some procedural principles to the statutory framework.    The selection process will begin soon, with Hon. Thelton Henderson appointing the commissioners.

As an aside, DistrictR.org is an amazing public mapping tool, although it has VAP by block, instead of CVAP which the Legislature has disaggregated to block level.


Scott Rafferty
1913 Whitecliff Ct
Walnut Creek CA 94596
 mobile 202-380-5525



On Sat, 29 Aug 2020 at 17:04, Cover, Benjamin (bcover at uidaho.edu<mailto:bcover at uidaho.edu>) <bcover at uidaho.edu<mailto:bcover at uidaho.edu>> wrote:

Hi all,



I’m looking for examples of good districting processes for local bodies like city councils, county commissions, or local school boards.



Until now, the Boise city council has used at-large elections. This past session, the Idaho legislature enacted a statute mandating districted elections for Boise city council. To implement this mandate, Boise needs to figure out how to district, including the composition, voting rules, and selection process for the districting body, and the substantive criteria and procedural requirements it will follow.



If there is a particular local districting body/process that you would recommend as a model for others to follow, I would appreciate your perspective.



Thanks,

Benji



BENJAMIN COVER, J.D., M.Sc., B.Sc.
Associate Professor of Law
University of Idaho College of Law
Office: ILJLC 320
bcover at uidaho.edu<mailto:bcover at uidaho.edu>

SSRN<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2191568>  |  Twitter<https://twitter.com/bplenercover>  | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjicover/>

208-364-4094
514 W. Jefferson St.  |  Boise ID 83720   |  United States



[University of Idaho]





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