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Health & Fitness

California Redistricting and Marin County

The 2010 Census is complete and the redistricting process has begun. How will it affect you?

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. This information is then used to divide the population evenly into districts for the State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization. This process is called redistricting. The last census was completed in 2010, and the redistricting process has begun.

Historically, the State Legislature has drawn these district maps. In 2008, California voters approved Proposition 11, which established a 14 person citizen commission and defined the criteria for modifying State Assembly and State Senate District boundaries after the 2010 census. In 2010, California voters passed Proposition 20, which added US Congressional District boundary modifications to the Redistricting Commission’s responsibilities.

The Redistricting Commission must draw district maps that are consistent with the following criteria, in this priority order: (1) equal population, (2) comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, (3) contiguous districts, (4) respect for geographic integrity of counties, cities, communities of interest, and neighborhoods, to minimize their division to the extent possible, (5) draw districts to be compact, where practicable, and (6) districts to nest within each other, where practicable.

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The 2010 census data indicates that the Bay Area has grown more slowly than other areas in California. Bay Area districts will need to either expand their boundaries to add population to meet their population requirements, or the Redistricting Commission could eliminate and reconfigure Bay Area districts and redistribute population among surrounding districts as part of its redistricting process. 

I believe it is important that Marin County continue single district elected representation and not be divided into multiple congressional, state assembly or state senate districts. In addition, I believe it is essential that we maintain unified elected representation for the counties north of the Golden Gate Bridge by establishing the southern boundary for North Bay communities’ districts at the Golden Gate Bridge, and by expanding districts northward.

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We share common interests with other northern counties characterized by similar geographic, economic, and social character - including predominantly small cities, suburban and rural land use patterns, common bus and rail transportation systems, common water supply, and interests in agriculture, technology, small business, open space and environmental preservation, and tourism. In contrast, our similarities to counties to the south and east are extremely limited.

As many of you know, prior to my job as your County Supervisor, I worked as the North Bay aide for two San Francisco-based state senators (John Burton and Carole Migden) whose districts included all of Marin and the southern half of Sonoma County. Unfortunately, it was common that Marin’s issues came second to those of San Francisco’s. In maintaining Marin’s interests, I think our best bet is to expand our districts to the north – not into San Francisco. This will help Marin County preserve effective and fair representation.

I have sent a letter to the Redistricting Commission sharing these views and urging them to keep Marin County whole in its district representation and to align us with our counties to the North, not into San Francisco. My colleagues, Supervisors Kinsey and Brown, agree and will also be contacting the Commission with these suggestions.

I urge you to participate in the process. You can submit written comments to the Redistricting Commission via mail, email or through their website. For contact information visit: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/contact_public_comment.html

Public meetings are also being held throughout the state. The public meetings for Region 8 (which includes Marin and the counties of Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Alameda) are scheduled for: May 20, 2011 from 6pm-9pm in the Santa Rosa City Council Chambers and May 21, 2011 from 2pm-5pm in the Oakland City Council Chambers. For additional information and meeting agendas visit: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/hearings.html

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