In addition to public testimony before this Committee, the Committee will accept and consider redistricting proposals, written recommendations, and written comments from any individual or group. A complete explanation of the rationale for any recommendation or request submitted Any individual, group or organization may present a redistricting plan to the Committee pursuant to the procedures and criteria set forth below. The Committee will rely on these Decisions for guidance in assessing plans. Therefore, plan drafters should familiarize themselves with all U.S. Supreme Court Decisions relating to redistricting, in addition to the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and Sections 2 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act. All districts within a statewide plan must be as close to perfect population equality as possible.
Legal requirements mandate Congressional districts achieve virtual population equality.
California s Constitution requires that the number of unnecessary city and county splits be minimized. Plans must be accompanied with a listing of, and an explanation for all unnecessary city and county splits. The covered counties are Kings, Merced, Monterey and Yuba. Section 5 provides for strict constitutional and Justice Department scrutiny for any activity that affects the politics or voting of covered jurisdictions. All submitted plans must include written annotations for the plan s effects on minority voters in these four counties.