How to make redistricting sexy? Tell people it's about claiming their power
Too many Californians don’t realize how sexy redistricting is. How those boundaries are drawn, block by block, determines who represents you in Washington, Sacramento and every office down the line. Redistricting is about claiming your power.
And power is sexy.
Instead of ceding the map-redrawing to politicians, a nonpartisan citizen’s commission draws them and the public is invited to get involved. They can go to a website and draw what they think their community of interest looks like and submit it to the commission.
Some of the hardest Californians to engage, however, are those with the most to lose if the lines aren’t drawn equitably — particularly low-income folks and communities of color. It’s understandable. Many Californians have a lot more pressing issues to think about, especially since the pandemic hit.
“The challenge is how to make this relevant to someone who’s trying to make ends meet, or is holding two jobs, or is a single mom,” said Alejandra Ponce de León, a senior policy and research analyst with the Advancement Project CA, a racial and civil rights organization.