More Bad Redistricting Plans

There now are, count them, eight voter initiative petition campaigns under way that would change the way the California Legislature redraws legislative districts to account for population changes. So far, none of them guarantees any improvement over the admittedly messy process through which the Legislature now struggles every decade.

Initiative No. 7, drafted by C. T. Weber of San Diego, would create eight 10-member Assembly districts rather than the traditional 80 single-member districts. Under the Weber plan, everyone in a region of roughly 3.5 million people would vote for 10 Assembly members. A major complaint now is that voters don’t know enough about their single Assembly members, let alone having to choose from among perhaps 50 or 75 candidates in a primary. Thanks, Mr. Weber, but no thanks.

State Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear) is circulating No. 8, a variation of his earlier proposal to make districts more competitive by structuring at least half of them on the basis of party voter registration. Leonard’s new plan adds one sentence requiring the Legislature to complete the reapportionment task by July 15 of the year following the census. It does not say what would happen if the Legislature failed to do so. Leonard has changed his plan without improving it. Sorry, senator.

Who’s next?