Message from Dan Beal, WPRA President, Winter 2022
We walk the line*s
Redistricting — an opaque term to all but the most fervent public policy wonks and civic activists, and, of course, one critical to elected officials. Yet redistricting goes to the very heart of democracy, and we just witnessed a great example of it right here in Pasadena.
The U.S. Constitution, federal and state law, and, in some cases, city charters dictate redistricting procedures every 10 years, following the results of the federal census. Congressional, state legislative and local office boundary drawing has been, and in some places still is, so badly abused that strict regulation has been adopted in California.
Redistricting must meet several goals, including legal compliance, continuity, compactness and recognizable boundaries, and respect of local communities of interest, such as WPRA’s ties to the Arroyo Seco. One goal of redistricting is to combat “gerrymandering,” named after unlamented Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who in 1812 drew a voting district so convoluted, it resembled a salamander, hence the term. It’s typically aimed at spreading the voting power of a political party, racial or ethnic group, or the like, by either diluting its members across many districts or cramming them into one.
Pasadena launched its redistricting effort in May 2021 by appointing a 12-member task force, which promptly commenced extensive outreach, public information, workshops, public hearings, and meetings, including a remarkable website (tinyurl.com/2p8htxw2) with extensive records of the task force’s work, redistricting law and data, and mapping tools where residents could draw their own district boundaries and see the effects on population numbers and other demographic data.
While some residents argued for more extensive changes, including designating a downtown-oriented district, the overwhelming votes of both the task force and City Council recommended council districts that made minimal changes to current districts, moving 1,625 residents from District 6 to District 7, and 985 from District 7 to District 2.
The task force also noted major housing changes likely to occur in the next redistricting cycle, such as the Parsons Project, re-use of the 710 “ditch” and the results of state law, and other factors, and urged City Council to review and understand these changes well ahead of the next task force.
Many thanks to the hard-working task force members, City staff, consultants, and residents who made this effort open, transparent, informed and respectful of many interests—you know, “the Pasadena Way.”
*Apologies to June Carter and Johnny Cash
