The KCET program covered gerrymandering in California, Proposition 11’s successful passage two years ago creating a mandate for a citizen commission to draw legislative districts, and politicians’ attempts to overturn the mandate with Proposition 27 and return the drawing of legislative districts into the hands of the legislature.

From the LA Times, February 3rd:

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.

More information, and application instructions here.

The numbers haven’t improved since then. Applications from men and women are equal (both zero!) in Alpine County and Glenn County. In Inyo County, one man and no women have applied. In most counties, women make up far less than half of the total applicants. In Los Angeles county the numbers today are 481 men, 205 women.

We Draw the Lines includes this link to weekly statistics on applications.

Among the heavyweight proposals, with corresponding heavyweight sponsors:

amending the California constitution by initiative

convening a constitutional convention

changing the way the Secretary of State is elected and runs elections

reducing the majority for budget approvals from 2/3s to 51%

adjusting term limits

allowing a “split roll” to put commercial properties outside Prop 13 protection

Common Cause has not endorsed any of the initiatives. Feng said their scope, directed at political processes in the state, also relates to recently passed Prop 11’s redistricting commission. Applications for that citizen commission will be accepted starting December 15.

Feng’s comments followed background presentations from league members. The first was statistical, and according to my notes, California gets the constitutional Olympic bronze, with a constitution 8 times longer than that of the U.S.; only Alabama’s and India’s are longer!

The second presentation was on Repair California and California Forward, the two major sponsoring organizations of state government reform initiatives, and covered their founders, budget, and policy direction.

League member and attorney Ann Ansman, the final local panelist, insisted that “we have a good constitution” with many protections, and efforts to change it shouldn’t go beyond fixing the infrastructure of governmental processes (tackling legislative gridlock, for example).

Be prepared for an inundation of initiatives to reform California’s constitution, budget process, elections, and governance.