NEWSOM VETOES REDISTRICTING MEASURE

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have required dozens of the state’s largest cities, counties and educational districts to use independent commissions to draw voting districts, dealing a setback to “redistricting reform” advocates.

“We’re frustrated, confused and deeply disappointed,” Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of voting rights group California Common Cause, said Monday. He added: “We were hopeful that this was an opportunity for California to show the rest of the nation what it looks like to put gerrymandering behind us.” California’s local redistricting methods came under scrutiny last year following a leaked recording of a private discussion among several Los Angeles City Council members. The officials — all Latino Democrats — used crude and racist comments while plotting to bolster their political power at the expense of Black voters.

Newsom vetoed a pair bills Saturday that would have taken away redistricting power from elected officials in Los Angeles and dozens of other jurisdictions and instead given the responsibility to independent commissions of local residents. In a statement, the Democratic governor said he supported the “goal of ensuring community control over the redistricting process” but was concerned a mandate to create independent commissions could end up costing the state tens of millions of dollars. It marked the second time in four years that he has vetoed legislation requiring independent redistricting commissions for some local governments.

Had Newsom signed the measure, California could have become the first state to mandate redistricting commissions for local jurisdictions over certain sizes, said Dan Vicuna, national director of redistricting and representation for Common Cause.

Boundaries for state and local legislative districts must be redrawn every 10 years to align with the latest U.S. Census figures. Historically, that process has been carried out by elected officials who have a political interest in shaping districts to their advantage — a tactic known as gerrymandering.

But California voters shifted the responsibility for drawing U.S. House and state legislative districts to an independent panel of citizens following the 2010 census. Since then, voters in Colorado, Michigan, New York, Utah and Virginia have created redistricting commissions with varying levels of independence.

In California, a 2016 state law allowed, but didn’t require, counties and cities to create redistricting commissions. More than a dozen have voluntarily done so, and separate state laws have specifically mandated redistricting commissions for San Diego County, Los Angeles County and a few other counties.