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Welcome to the September edition of the California Citizen Redistricting Commission newsletter. Commissioners continue to engage Californians through the Communities of Interest (COI) input sessions. To date, we have held 32 input session and have only three remaining on the schedule. Register today to provide input or skip the line and go online by visiting: DrawMyCACommunity.org. Providing input is easy and fun, and only takes a few minutes.

As we transition into the line drawing phase, Commissioners will utilize September to analyze COI input and our outreach team will launch education presentations on how to provide COI input online. To register for a presentation, please fill out this form. We anticipate receiving reformatted census data from the Statewide Database later this month. Get ready to draw the lines California.

We are also hoping for a ruling this month from the California Supreme Court on our proposed January 14, 2022, deadline.

Finally, starting this month look for Commission sponsored billboards and listen for a commercial on your local radio station. If you see a billboard, snap a photo and tag us at #WeDrawtheLinesCA.

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Recently, The Commission’s legal team petitioned the California Supreme Court to clarify and/or modify the writ of mandate it issued in the Padilla case on July 17, 2020. The petition requests:

  1. The court modify the writ of mandate issued in Padilla to clarify that the commission’s deadline for releasing the first preliminary redistricting maps is extended by an additional 18 days to November 19, 2021, in order to account for the “additional federal delay” in transmitting usable census data to the state.
  2. The court modify the writ of mandate issued in Padilla to order that the commission’s deadline for approving and certifying the final redistricting maps is extended to January 14, 2022, in order to account for the “additional federal delay” in transmitting usable census data to the state and to permit meaningful public input into the final map-drawing process.
  3. The court modify the writ of mandate issued in Padilla to order that only three days’ notice is required for commission meetings held in the fifteen days before the deadline for certifying the final redistricting maps.

Read more here.

The California Supreme Court acknowledged receiving our request and has given the Legislature and the Secretary of State the opportunity to respond, while encouraging amicus briefs to be submitted no later than 12:00 p.m. on September 13, 2021.

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The Commission recently voted to not count federal prison populations in California for redistricting purposes to discourage unfair or padded representation in communities with a facility located in their jurisdiction. The Commission sought last known address information in order to reallocate those in federal custody to their last known address but was unable to obtain necessary data in enough time to do so. The Commission is however, for the first time in California history, going to reallocate those in state custody to their last known address. This process is currently being undertaken by the Statewide Database along with reformatting of the recently released ‘legacy’ data by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Read more here.

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The Commission is getting ready to transition from Phase II—Communities of Interest Input to Phase III—Line Drawing. You have three more opportunities to attend an online COI input session and let the Commission know about the parameters of your neighborhood and which communities you’d like to be in a district with, as well as which communities you don’t want to be in a district with. Click here for information on final meetings.

Although the public input meetings are coming to an end, you will still be able to save time and go online to provide COI input at: DrawMyCACommunity.org.

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Bring together your network, members, colleagues, constituents, and/or friends and family to learn more about the California Citizens Redistricting Commission and how to participate in the redistricting process. Outreach staff will provide training on how to use the DrawMyCACommunity.org mapping tool to provide input to the Commission and ways to get further assistance virtually or in person. Staff will provide general training on how to use the tool but will not be able to assist individuals with their input. The Commission recommends hosting organizations provide time after the presentation to activate their communities to use the tool and submit input to the Commission on the spot. Click here to request a Draw My CA Community presentation.

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Our partners at the Statewide Database have opened six Redistricting Access Centers across California to help you participate in the process. You can now visit a Redistricting Access Center to get help in person or to utilize publicly accessible computers and redistricting software developed by the Statewide Database.

Through the redistricting software, members of the public can develop community of interest or district-based input to submit to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Staff is available at each location to help members of the public use the redistricting software. Each Redistricting Access Center meets ADA Accessibility Standards.

Appointments are required to attend a Redistricting Access Center! Click here for the flyer.

Oakland Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
Elihu M Harris Building, First floor
1405 Clay Street,
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone Number: (510)352-2368

Sacramento Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
3336 Bradshaw Rd., Suite 165
Sacramento, CA 95827
Phone Number: (916)266-5122

Fresno Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
2001 N Van Ness, Suite A
Fresno, CA 93728
Phone Number: (559)721-6902

San Bernardino Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
1505 West Highland Ave, Room 11
San Bernardino, CA 92411
Phone Number: (909)677-2100

Long Beach Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
5000 East Spring Street, Suite 310,
Long Beach, CA 90815
Phone Number: (562)473-0064

San Diego Redistricting Access Center
Click Here to schedule an appointment to visit the site.
Mission Valley State Building, Suite 108
7575 Metropolitan Drive,
San Diego, CA 92108
Phone Number: (619)323-0815

For more information about the Redistricting Access Centers including location hours, directions, parking, and public transportation details visit: https://statewidedatabase.org/redistricting_access_centers/.

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For a full list of meetings, please visit the 'meetings' page on our website: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/meetings.

September 7, 2021 Meeting
(COI Review)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 12:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 8, 2021 Meeting
(Southern CA, Zones H-K)
Communities of Interest Public Input Meeting – 3:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 9, 2021 Meeting 
(Statewide)
Communities of Interest Public Input Meeting 3:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. (or upon conclusion of business)

September 10, 2021 Meeting 
(Statewide)
Communities of Interest Public Input Meeting 3:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. (or upon conclusion of business)

September 11, 2021 Meeting
(COI Review) 
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 15, 2021 Meeting
(Line Drawing Training)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 17, 2021 Meeting
(COI Direction)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 18, 2021 Meeting
(COI Direction)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 23, 2021 Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 28, 2021 Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

September 29, 2021 Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

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This month we introduce you to J. Ray Kennedy, a Democrat from Morongo Valley, California. Commissioner Kennedy has worked in the field of international electoral assistance since 1990, leading large and small teams in the design and implementation of electoral assistance projects, observing elections, planning and managing election activities, mentoring election observer groups, training election staff and political party agents, drafting election laws and regulations, and serving on an election commission. Since receiving his PhD in Latin American Studies from Johns Hopkins/SAIS, he has worked primarily as a senior electoral expert in the United Nations System. Learn more about Commissioner Kennedy here.

Watch Commissioner Kennedy’s video here.

California Citizens Redistricting Commission
http://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/