Redistricting commission

A redistricting commission is a body designated to draw district lines. Usually the intent is to avoid gerrymandering by specifying a nonpartisan or bipartisan body to comprise the commission. Like state boards of election, however, they are also typically set up to give the majority party more seats on the Commission; the New Jersey Redistricting Commission is an example of this. Efforts to establish a redistricting commission in Virginia have so far failed. In many cases, the majority party prefers to retain its power to draw district lines without interference from a commission, and therefore blocks the establishment of a redistricting commission.

The Campaign Legal Center reports that eleven (11) states currently utilize non-partisan or bi-partisan redistricting commissions composed of non-office-holding citizens. [http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/redistricting-226.html] The states include: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington. [http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/redistricting-226.html] The Campaign Legal Center additionally states that Arkansas and Ohio utilize redistricting commissions that are wholly comprised of elected officials. [http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/redistricting-226.html]

Proposition 11 (2008) is currently on the November ballot in California. [http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_11_(2008)] Proposition 11 proposes to amend the California Constitution to create a bi-partisan redistricting commission composed of non-office-holding citizens. [http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_11_(2008)]