White men dominate applicants for state Redistricting Commission: ACT NOW

Submitted by Anna on Sun, 02/07/2010 - 14:54

From former PDSonoma County member and supporter Jack McCurdy, who moved out of the area last year ….

WOMEN, MINORITIES NEED TO APPLY NOW!

The Citizens Redistricting Commission, created by voters at the November, 2008, election, is recruiting members to redraw district lines of the State Assembly and Senate. But women and minorities are missing in action.

LA Times:

With the Feb. 12 application deadline looming, more than 73% of the 13,905 tentatively eligible residents who have asked for one of the commission’s 14 seats are non-Hispanic whites. Nearly 70% are men. Not even 5% are Asian Americans, who make up more than 12% of the state’s population. Latinos are roughly 10% of tentatively eligible applicants, although they are 36% of state residents. Black applicants are on par with their segment of the population.

See the full article at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-redistricting4-2010feb04,0,4978584.story

To apply go to: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/

From the site: Before the Voters FIRST Act, California lawmakers were charged with drawing their own legislative and Board of Equalization districts. But California voters changed all that when they authorized the creation of the Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) in the November 2008 General Election. Now YOU can apply to serve on an independent Commission that will draw district boundaries for the state Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization.

Please pass it around.