Competition and Redistricting in California: Lessons for Reform

Max competition

These plans were drawn to maximize the number of competitive seats. Party registration data was utilized to identify partisan clusters when drawing maps. While competitiveness was the primary goal, secondary criteria included compactness, contiguity, and equal population. Racial data was not used.

Fully balanced

These plans mimic the actual process of redistricting. In these plans, the federal redistricting criteria of equal population, contiguity, and the Voting Rights Act were first considered. Then, racial and political data were used to maximize majority-minority seats and potentially competitive districts while minimizing county and city splits.

Max competition

These plans were drawn to maximize the number of competitive seats. Party registration data was utilized to identify partisan clusters when drawing maps. While competitiveness was the primary goal, secondary criteria included compactness, contiguity, and equal population. Racial data was not used.

Fully balanced

These plans mimic the actual process of redistricting. In these plans, the federal redistricting criteria of equal population, contiguity, and the Voting Rights Act were first considered. Then, racial and political data were used to maximize majority-minority seats and potentially competitive districts while minimizing county and city splits.

Map of all the districts within the state for the plan. Provided as an Adobe PDF document.
*In areas of high population density, the districts may not be visible. The San Francisco/Sacramento area map and the Los Angeles area map will provide closer views of these areas.

This provides a closer view of the districts around the Bay Area Counties: San Francisco , San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sacramento. Provided as an Adobe PDF document.

This provides a closer view of the districts of lower Los Angeles County , the southwestern tip of San Bernardino County, and Orange County. Provided as an Adobe PDF document.

This file can be opened in Microsoft Excel. It lists the population, deviation from the ideal population, racial breakdown, and political breakdown for each district. The population data contained in this table was taken from the 2000 U.S. Census PL94-171, PL2. Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino By Race (Table 2) and PL4. Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino By Race for the Population 18 Years and Over (Table 4). The registration data was taken from the 2000 General Election, Statement of Registration. Refer to the codebook for a description of the variables.

This file can be opened in Microsoft Word. The first half lists cities and their corresponding districts by county. The second half lists the number of cities and counties by district. Population breakdowns are given for both.

This file can be opened in Microsoft Word. The first half lists counties and the corresponding district, while the second half lists counties per district. Population breakdowns are given for both.

This file can be opened in Microsoft Excel. It shows seven measures of compactness: Reock, Schwartzberg, Perimeter, Polsby-Popper, Population Polygon, Population Circle , and Ehrenburg. These measurements are done on a scale of 0 to 1, with 1 being the most compact. The two exceptions are the Schwartzberg and Perimeter measures. The Schwartzberg measure is greater than or equal to 1, with 1 being the most compact. With the Perimeter measure, the smallest total perimeter is the most compact. Calculations are provided per district as well as for the overall plan.

This file can be opened in Microsoft Excel to view the census blocks in each district. This file should be imported into Maptitude to visually view a map of the districts. For instructions, click here.