What it does:
Gives a panel of three retired judges the power to redraw district boundaries.
Why we oppose it:
Though attractive in theory, the measure is rushed and leaves too many questions unanswered.
Like most reasonable Californians, we think there is much wrong with letting legislators sculpt their own electoral districts. However, backers of Proposition 77 have failed to make the case that the situation is dire and urgent enough for voters to approve their vague and unsound proposal, instead of waiting for a more polished solution.
If enacted, this measure would ask three retired judges to hurriedly redraw district boundaries by the 2006 general election using outdated population data, with the goal of maximizing compactness and contiguity. But limiting the focus to simply compact districts leaves out many equally weighty priorities, like the empowerment of minority communities and the maximization of competitiveness; in fact, Proposition 77 actually prohibits the judges from explicitly considering these factors.
The alternative to Proposition 77 is to simply let lawmakers do their jobs. Democrats in the Legislature have already signaled their willingness to compromise on an overhaul of how the state shapes its districts, suggesting that even if this initiative fails, the status quo will not prevail. The compromise would likely be superior to the current measure, as it would actually be vetted by policy experts and amended in the face of unexpected problems; neither avenue is open to ballot initiatives.
But even if lawmakers go back on their word, citizens would not be left out on the limb. California will need to redraw its district lines after the 2010 census, anyway, and if the result is a partisan gerrymander, voters can always reject it through a referendum.
The truth is, determining district boundaries is an inherently political process that creates clear winners and losers, and no ballot measure will ever completely eliminate the politics involved. Proposition 77, though, does a poorer job than most alternatives.
