Applicant Review Panel Holds Final Meeting on Redistricting Commission
Panel Narrows List to 60 of the Most Qualified Applicants for the Citizens Redistricting Commission
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The California State Auditor's Applicant Review Panel (Panel) concluded the last of its public meetings yesterday afternoon in Sacramento, selecting 60 of the most qualified applicants (out of 120 applicants asked to interview) that may be selected as one of the 14 that will serve on California's first Citizens Redistricting Commission. Twenty of the applicants are Democrats, 20 are Republicans, and 20 are either Decline-to-State or belong to another party.
The Panel has until October 1st to submit the list of 60 applicants and the related application material to the California State Legislature. Legislative leadership may then exercise up to 24 strikes—8 from each of the subpools. The final pool of 60 also represents all regions of the state and California's rich diversity: 51 percent are male and 48 percent are female and nearly 33 percent white, 28 percent Latino, 17 percent Asian, 13 percent Black, 7 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native and 2 percent Pacific Islanders. For the list of the 60 applicants, please visit www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov.
Throughout the entire process, the Panel reviewed and evaluated the applicants based on criteria set forth by the Voters FIRST Act approved by voters in November 2008; for relevant analytical skills, the ability to be impartial; and an appreciation for California's diverse demographics and geography. The Panel began the public meetings to interview nearly 120 applicants on August 6th, 2010. During each interview, the Panel asked all applicants five standard questions which were made available to the applicants prior to the interview. Panel members and their legal counsel then had the opportunity to ask individual questions to gain additional information about each applicant.
"We are concluding what has been a critical element of the process of forming California's first independent Citizens Redistricting Commission," said Elaine M. Howle, California State Auditor. "We are encouraged by not only the integrity and thoroughness of the interview process, but also with the caliber of those candidates who have made it through the application and selection process thus far. We look forward to the next steps in the process and fulfilling the voters' wishes in November 2008 that will lead to the creation of California's first independent Citizens Redistricting Commission."
The legislative leaders have until November 15, 2010, to exercise their strikes and submit a list of remaining applicants to the State Auditor. From the remaining list of applicants, the California State Auditor will then randomly select the first eight commissioners. Those eight commissioners will select the remaining six that will, in total, make up the final, 14-member Commission. The Commission will include, in total, five Republicans, five Democrats and four members that are registered as Decline-to-State or with another party.
The 14-member Commission will redraw the lines for California's State Senate, Assembly and State Board of Equalization districts, based on information gathered during the 2010 census. The Commission must draw the districts in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create districts of relatively equal population that will provide fair representation for all Californians.
Both the video and transcripts of all meetings – including the final meeting – are available at http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/application.html.
For more information please visit www.WeDrawTheLines.ca.gov.
SOURCE California State Auditor
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