California Election Reforms Flashcards
Redistricting
process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census.
2000 Redistricting - Incumbent Protection Plan
CA legislature drew the new boundaries to protect the political parties that held the existing seats
2002 and 2004 elections - resuts
NOT a single seat transferred party control; NOT A SINGLE SEAT!
Prop. 11 - Citizens Redistricting Commission
Citizens Redistributing Commission
-“jury duty” for redistricting - average Californians would draw the lines
Results: 65th District (Fullerton)
Sharon Quirk-Silva took the 65th Assembly District
- Past District had 9% Republican Advantage
- New District had 1% Republican Advantage
Results: 55th District (Brea/Yorba Linda)
Curt Hagman (R) defeated Fritchle (D)
Overall Results of Prop 11
2012 Elections had more competitive districts and seats changed party control
2014 - 65th Assembly District
Sharon Quirk Silva (D) incumbent vs. Young Kim (R) challenger
2014 - 55th Assembly District
Phillip Chen vs. Steve Tye vs. Ling-Ling Chang vs Gregg Fitchel (D)
Top-Two Primary reform
2010 Election Prop 14 = “The Top-Two Primary”
Top-Two Primary ballot
This allows voters in November to choose from the top two vote getters in the primary election
Results of the top-two primary
Most seats don’t change hand
Expected outcome of Top-Two Primary on the state legislation
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Term Limits in 1990
Voters enacted Prop 140 which limited the number of terms Californians could serve
Plural Executive = 4 year term 2 term limit = 8 years
Assembly = 2 year term 3 term limit = 6 years
Senate = 4 year term 2 term limit = 8 years
Total in legislature = 14 years
Term Limit change in 2012 (Prop 28)
Legislatures can now serve a total of 12 years in the Assembly, Senate, or combination of the two chambers
