Restoring the Competitive Edge: California's Need for Redistricting Reform and the Likely Impact of Proposition 77

Publication Date: September 2005

Publisher: Rose Institute of State and Local Government

Author(s): Elise Lampe; Justin Levitt; Andrew Lee; Douglas Johnson

Research Area: Politics

Keywords: Redistricting; Gerrymandering

Type:

Abstract:

Redistricting is a straightforward, simple concept: by law election districts must be adjusted to maintain an equal number of people in each district. This simple process is one of the most important of all political activities: it shapes the government for a decade. When done for the public good, redistricting can be simple and straightforward. When self-preservation and ambition guide those in control, it can be a disaster for the public interest.