Politics & Government

Elk Grove United in Single District for State, Federal Elections

New district maps were approved by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission Monday, but face a challenge from Republicans.

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission approved 177 new state and Congressional electoral maps on Monday—including three that place Elk Grove for the first time into a single legislative district within each legislative chamber. 

California Republicans have already announced they will challenge the maps drawn by the 14-member elected commission, which are set to take effect for the fall 2012 elections.

The maps show Elk Grove being represented by California State Assembly District 9, Senate District 6 and Congressional District 7. So what does this mean for the city?

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First, Elk Grove's political clout will no longer be spread among multiple representatives in different districts.

The city is currently separated into two Assembly districts, District 10 represented by Assemblymember Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills) and District 15 represented by Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo); two Senate Districts, District 1 represented by Sen. Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) and District 5 represented by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) and two Congressional districts, District 3 represented by Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) and District 5 represented by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento).

Find out what's happening in Elk Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The maps also boost the chances that Elk Grove City Council Member Sophia Scherman will make a bid for the new Assembly seat. Scherman told the Elk Grove Citizen earlier this year she would run for a seat if the new district lines put her in the same district as Huber—the approved maps do.

Scherman did not return calls for comment Monday.

Shortly after the maps were approved, the Associated Press reports, California Republicans announced they are planning a ballot referendum to overturn them. They say the maps don't comply with the commission's mandate to create districts of equal populations to fairly represent citizens of California. (They'd also likely give a bigger advantage to Democrats, already a majority in the state legislature.)

“Being this thing [commission] is brand new, no one really knows what to expect. It’s unpredictable right now,” said Tim Reardon, Chief of Staff for Huber. “Ultimately a court could take over and redo districts – I don’t know how realistic that is, but it is a possibility.”

Reardon also said that it is too early to say which seat, if any, Huber will run for next year.

Correction: Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the Congressional district into which Elk Grove will be placed according to maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The correct district is District 7. Elk Grove Patch regrets the error.


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