San Diego County officials Monday put out a call for applicants to serve on the Independent Redistricting Commission, a once-a-decade opportunity to redraw the district lines to reflect the new numbers in the federal census.
The county has five supervisorial districts, and district lines can shape a community's ability to elect the representative of their choice. The county clerk will take commission applications through July 31.
The 2020 census numbers will reveal new data on residents and population. Each supervisor should represent a diverse population of about 650,000 residents.
Redistricting Commission members will re-shape the district boundaries to meet community needs. The commission will act independently from the Board of Supervisors.
To qualify, volunteers must be San Diego County residents who were registered to vote with the same political party or listed as no party preference for the last five years. And they must have voted in at least one of the last three statewide elections. Applicants must not have been active in political circles for the last 10 years. They must be impartial and demonstrate analytical skills, according to a county statement.
Applications will be screened for the 60 most qualified applicants. One commissioner for each of the five districts will be picked during a random drawing at the Oct. 13 Board of Supervisors meeting. A second random drawing will be held that day to select three additional commissioners, for a total of eight. Those commissioners will meet to decide on six more to round out a 14-member commission.
Once formed, the commission must hold at least seven public hearings in 30 days, with at least one hearing in each supervisorial district. Other meetings, dates and times are at the discretion of the commission.
The group will review the new census data upon its release and start the process of redrawing new maps for the five supervisorial districts. The maps must be completed by Aug. 15, 2021.
