Redistricting access tools

About California’s redistricting

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission creates California’s State Assembly, State Senate, Congressional, and Board of Equalization districts. This process happens every ten years and is called redistricting.

The California Constitution sets criteria for the Commission when drawing statewide districts, in order of priority:

1. Districts must be of equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution.
2. Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act so minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
3. Districts must be contiguous—all parts of a district are connected.
4. Districts must minimize splitting cities, counties, neighborhoods, and communities of interest when possible.
5. Districts should be geographically compact (by population density, not shape). Census blocks cannot be split.
6. Where practicable, each Senate district should comprise two complete adjacent Assembly districts; Board of Equalization districts should comprise ten complete adjacent State Senate districts.

The residence of incumbents or candidates may not be considered, and districts may not favor or discriminate against an incumbent, candidate, or party.

Learn more at the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Why these tools

The Statewide Database offers three free tools to help you share input with the Commission. They are the only free applications that let you work with all census blocks in California and submit input directly to the state’s official redistricting process.

For guides on all three tools, visit Draw My California.

Why participate

Redistricting in California is designed to be transparent and to weigh public input. Everyone in California can tell the Commission where their community is and what they want districts to look like.

Your input can help draw boundaries so your community stays together and your voice reaches elected leaders on decisions that affect you.