Politics & Government

New Congressional Districts Sought

Activists will collect signatures for a referendum to overturn California's new Congressional district maps.

Activists may begin collecting signatures to overturn the redistricting plan for the state's congressional districts.

Backers of the referendum need valid signatures equalling 5 percent of the total votes cast in the 2010 gubernatorial election—or 504,760 signatures total—by Nov. 13 to qualify it for the ballot, according to the secretary of state's office.

If the referendum qualifies, the redistricting plan approved in August by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission would not go into effect for the 2012 election; the Supreme Court would draw new lines.

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The Citizens Redistricting Commission, a group consisting of five Republicans, five Democrats and four decline-to-state voters, has defended the redistricting plan.

Nevertheless, Commissioner Michael Ward, a Republican, disagreed with the new maps, calling the 33rd Congressional District a "ribbon of shame" that stretches from Malibu to Rancho Palos Verdes.

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This is the second challenge to the new district maps drawn by the redistricting commission. A group known as Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting is collecting signatures for a referendum to overturn the new state Senate maps.

City News Service contributed to this report.


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