Nearly 30,000 individuals submitted an initial application to become one of the 14 members of California’s first Citizens Redistricting Commission that will redraw the district boundaries for the State Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization. The deadline for submitting the required initial application was February 16, 2010—initial applications are no longer accepted. Of those initial applications submitted, nearly 25,000 applicants were “tentatively eligible” and thus, were invited to complete a supplemental application which was required to continue in the process. Of those, nearly 5,000 submitted a supplemental application to continue in the process.
To see who filed the Initial Application and is tentatively eligible go to this link. To learn more about the selection process, the supplemental application, and redistricting, watch this on-line workshop video. You can also see responses to frequently asked questions about the supplemental application.
Below is a description of the application and selection process. You can bypass some of the information by using the navigation links below.
- What was the application process?
- What happened after the supplemental application?
- What happens after the Applicant Review Panel identifies 60 of the most qualified applicants?
What was the application process?
The State Auditor established a two-phase application process. The first or initial application, which began on December 15, 2009 and ended on February 16, 2010, determined whether the applicants meet the requirements set forth in the Act based on each applicant’s responses. As initial applications were submitted, the California State Auditor pre-screened the responses to determine whether the responses to the questions demonstrated whether the applicant satisfied the threshold requirements set forth in the Act.
Applicants whose responses showed that they tentatively satisfied this initial screening received an email notifying them that they are considered “tentatively eligible” and proceeded to the next phase of the application process. The State Auditor invited all tentatively eligible applicants to complete a supplemental application by April 19, 2010 in order to continue in the process. A sample supplemental application is available here. Guidance for completing the supplemental application was also available, as were responses to frequently asked questions about the supplemental application. An example application is available for review.
What happened after the supplemental application was submitted?
All applicants who received an Invitation to Submit a Supplemental Application were required to complete that application and submit all required information, including the three letters of recommendation required as part of the supplemental application, by April 19, 2010. Applicants who submitted a completed Supplemental Application and the three required letters of recommendation were notified that their application was complete and was submitted to the Applicant Review Panel.
The Applicant Review Panel reviewed all completed Supplemental Applications, any public comments received, and the letters of recommendations and narrowed the pool of applicants to 120 of the most qualified—in three sub pools of 40 Democrats, 40 Republicans, and 40 who were Decline to State or belonged to another party.
The Applicant Review Panel narrowed the applicant pool to 60 of the most qualified applicants: 20 who are registered Democrats, 20 who are registered Republicans, and 20 who are not registered with either of those two parties.
Important Dates to Remember
- Feb 17, 2010 – Supplemental Application is available
- Apr 19, 2010 – Deadline for supplemental application and letters of recommendation
- July 12, 2010 – Form 700 Due
- Aug 6 – Sep 13, 2010 – ARP interviews 120 of the most qualified applicants
- Sep 29, 2010 – List of 60 of the most qualified applicants to Legislative leaders
- By Nov 15, 2010 – Legislative leaders return list
- Nov 18, 2010 – Random selection of first eight commissioners
- By Dec 31, 2010 – Last day first eight commissioners have to select the remaining six
- By Jan 1, 2011 – First Citizens Redistricting Commission must start work!
- By Aug 15, 2011 – Maps must be approved!
Additional FAQs for Potential Commissioners
Need Reasonable Accommodations?
If you need a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the Commission application and selection process, please contact us, toll free, at 1-866-356-5217 or send a letter or e-mail specifying the accommodation you are requesting to votersfirstact@crc.ca.gov or use the address below.
What happens now that the Applicant Review Panel narrowed the Applicant Pool to 60?
On Sept 29, 2010 the Applicant Review Panel transmitted the names and other information related to the 60 most qualified applicants to the Legislature. As required by the Voters FIRST Act, this pool of 60 of the most qualified consists of three groups of twenty each: one group includes 20 applicants who are registered Democrats, 20 who are registered Republicans, and 20 who are not registered with either of those two parties. Next, the Majority and Minority Leaders in the California Senate and Assembly may each strike, or remove, 2 applicants from each of the 3 pools of 20. This means that there may be a total of 8 strikes from each of the 3 pools of twenty. Assuming these Legislative leaders fully exercise their right to remove applicants from the 3 pools, this would mean that 8 applicants would be removed from each of the three pools of twenty, leaving 12 names remaining in each of the three pools. The leaders have until November 15 to make their decisions.
The name of the applicants who remain in the Applicant Pool after the Legislative Leaders have exercised their strikes, then come back to the State Auditor, who is required by the Voters FIRST Act to conduct a random drawing where the first 8 members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission are selected. This random drawing was conducted on November 18, 2010. For more information, see the commission page.
Finally, the first 8 members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission are required, by no later than December 31, 2010 to select the final six members of the commission from among those applicants who remain in the Applicant Pool. Agendas will be posted on the commission page
This entire process of application and selection is set out in greater detail in the Act and in the regulations that the State Auditor adopted to implement the Act.