Prop. 20 and Prop. 27 are two conflicting measures about who should draw the districts for members of Congress and the legislature. In 2008, voters approved a measure that took away the legislature’s power to redraw their districts and gave it to an independent committee. Prop. 20 would have the committee also draw congressional districts. Prop. 27 would abolish the committee, return power to redraw state districts to the legislature, and let voters reject district maps.

Prop. 20: Commission able to redraw Congressional districts

Support

Prop. 20 would “hold politicians more accountable, [so] they’re not drawing districts to the advantage of friends in Congress,” says Susan Shafer with the Yes on 20/No on 27 campaign.

• Legislators help make sure their friends in Congress are re-elected by drawing district lines that divide communities.
  
  
• Districts would include people with “similar living standards” to make sure communities are not divided.

Supporters: Yes on 20/No on 27 (www.yes20no27.org), California Chamber of Commerce, California NAACP State Conference, Latin Business Association.

Opposition

“[Prop. 20] would add income to the list of things taken into consideration” when drawing districts, says Kevin Murray with the Prop. 27 campaign. “If you put all the poor in one district that does kids a disservice” because fewer elected officials will advocate for them. The measure

• “Harks back to the Jim Crow laws, when there were only affluent people or poor people in the same district,” adds Murray. 

Opponents: No on 20 (www.noprop20.org), League of Women Voters, AFSCME, California Labor Federation.

Prop. 27: Legislature able to redraw districts

Support

Since 1998, “redistricting is being done with an unseen panel. They don’t know anything about our communities,” says Murray. “It affects [children’s advocates’] ability to advocate effectively if the community is split into two districts.”

• The legislature should have the power to redraw districts because legislators are accountable to voters.

Supporters: Yes on 27 (www.yesprop27.org), AFSCME, California Labor Federation.

Opposition

Prop. 27 “is supported by politicians protecting their turf. It goes against the will of the voters” who approved the independent commission, says Shafer.

• When politicians draw their own districts, they often create safe districts to get re-elected each year—and have little incentive to fix problems.

Opponents: Yes on 20/No on 27 (www.yes20no27.org), California Chamber of Commerce, California NAACP State Conference, Latin Business Association.