California redistricting: What to know about the final maps

This is a modified version of the original story by CalMatters reporter Sameea Kamal for use in classrooms.

California voters have the new districts they’ll use to elect members of Congress and state legislators. The state commission voted last December to approve its final maps. 

These districts took effect with the June 2022 primaries. They will continue for the next ten years.  

Redistricting happens once every 10 years after the census. This helps ensure that each district has the same number of people. In the past, redistricting was done by the state’s political leaders. This is the second time it was done by a 14-member independent commission. This effort was different from the last one due to advances in technology and social media. Advocacy groups could submit their own maps. Viewers could respond to mapping decisions in real time on Twitter. Commissioners looked at the submitted maps as they did live line-drawing. They also got live feedback from viewers. 

Redistricting is a difficult task. California has a diverse population and geography. Commissioners must consider all the criteria as they draw the maps. The criteria includes equal population, Voting Rights Act compliance, communities of interest and compact districts. 

The commission must make sure that no minority group’s vote is drowned out. It isn’t supposed to weigh partisan politics. In some cases, it puts incumbents into the same district. It could also force others to appeal to new voters to be re-elected. That could help shift the balance of power between Democrats and Republicans in Washington.  

Commission chairperson Alicia Fernández said that there were disagreements along the way. However, she was proud of the commission’s work. “There was robust discussion in terms of how these maps should be drawn. We know that not everyone will be happy. I feel that they are fair maps for Californians,” she said. 

California Common Cause pushed to create the independent panel. The group also defended the commission. “While the process was at times messy, it was an exercise in democracy done in public.” During the process, there were 150 meetings and more than 36,000 public comments. 

Political dominos quickly started falling after the maps were approved. 

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia quickly said he wants the seat now occupied by Democratic Rep. Alan Lowenthal. Lowenthal announced he won’t seek re-election in 2022. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard of Downey was the first Mexican American woman elected to Congress in 1992. She said she is now retiring. She was redrawn into the same district where Mayor Garcia is running.  

The growing power of Latino voters has been a theme of the process. A projected 16 of the 52 House districts have a Latino voting-age population of at least 50%, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California study. That number used to be 10 of 53. 

Pablo Rodriguez is the founding executive director of the Communities for New California Action Fund. He noted that in the Central Valley there are three new congressional districts with more than 50% Latino voters. 

Also, 22 of the 80 new state Assembly districts and 10 of the 40 state Senate districts have majority Latino voting populations, the PPIC study says. 

To some, the new maps were not all good news. Former redistricting consultant Tony Quinn said some of the new maps could harm Latino candidates. “It didn’t seem to me that the map needed to be torn up the way it is,” he said. “They way overdid it, especially in L.A. County.” 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus noted that the maps include two majority Asian-American state Assembly districts. The maps also include 16 “influence” legislative and congressional districts. In these districts Asian Americans make up 30% or more of eligible voters. 

For African American voters, however, the new maps mean there are still no Black-majority districts. But there are two new “influence” districts. In these districts, the Black voting-age population is at least 30%. 

James Woodson said the fight for Black political power in California is not over. “Census and redistricting is sort of a two-part fight,” he said. “First, it’s making sure that resources came to our community and making sure they had an opportunity to win political power. Now, it’s about getting out the vote in 2022.” Woodson is the policy director for the California Black Census and Redistricting Hub. 

Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community said the maps include big wins across California. In the Assembly map, Hollywood and West Hollywood were put together. This gives the community a chance to elect a representative from the community, said Samuel Garrett-Pate. He is the managing director of external affairs with Equality California. 

Closing out their review of the maps was an emotional moment for some commissioners. 

“I’m so proud of the work that together we have completed to serve all Californians. Despite a difference of opinion at times, there was always commitment to the goal of creating representative and fair maps for all Californians,” commissioner Pedro Toledo said.