Join the Redlands Area Democratic Club in saying that this proposed map splitting Redlands in half is unacceptable.

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission proposes to split Redlands into two Congressional Districts.

To view the map, visit https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/map_viewer and select Congressional District Socal Iteration 12-13-21

One district, tentatively represented by Pete Aguilar (D), would encompass the northern part of Redlands along with Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, San Bernardino, Highland, Colton, and Mentone.

The other district, tentatively represented by Jay Obernolte (R), would encompass the southern part of Redlands along with Loma Linda, Crestline, and most of the desert land within San Bernardino County.

Below is the criteria the Commission must consider. Your comments should reflect how this split DOES NOT adhere to these criteria.

Q. What criteria will the Commission consider in deciding the districts?
A. The criteria for the Commission to follow is laid out in the Act:

Districts must be of equal population to comply with the US Constitution.

Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. (This map absolutely does not adhere to this as indicated below. Minorities represent 46.16% and Whites are 52.72%.)

Districts must be contiguous so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.

Districts must respect the boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of Interest, and minimize their division, to the extent possible. (This map absolutely does not adhere to this. It divides our city in half.)

Districts should be geographically compact, that is, have a fairly regular shape. (This map absolutely does not adhere to this. Our District goes all the way to the Nevada border!! We are part of the District labeled Morcoa in the image above.)

Where practicable each Senate District should be comprised of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts and Board of Equalization districts shall be composed of 10 complete and adjacent State Senate Districts.

Districts shall not be drawn to favor or discriminate against an incumbent, candidate, or political party.

You can send in your comments:  https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/contact or via email at [email protected]

Points you can make:

• I am a resident of Redlands/Loma Linda.

Redlands-specific comments: 

• Dividing a small city in half is not helpful to its effective functioning.
• We are a very cohesive Community of Interest.
• Redlands Unified School District, Redlands city government, and all municipal functions need a single voice in Congress.
• The City of Redlands is already struggling with a long-term north/south divide. This proposed redistricting plan will make this division even worse.
• This proposed divide in Redlands polarizes the city further, which is not helpful in the current climate.
• The communities closest to Redlands are those to its west and north, not to the east.

We are asking that the Commission follow their own aim: (From the 12/7/21 NY Times) ‘Commissioner J. Ray Kennedy, a Democrat, said the panel must create districts of equal population that are contiguous and compact, and to the extent practicable, keep counties, cities, neighborhoods and “communities of interest” together.’

Link to read the NYTimes article: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/us/politics/california-redistricting-midterms.html 

To access the live meetings:  https://videossc.com/CRC/

The full list of meetings:

December 8, 2021 Meeting 
(Review Visualizations/Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

• Meeting Agenda December 7-11, 2021

December 9, 2021 Meeting 
(Review Visualizations/Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

• Meeting Agenda December 7-11, 2021

December 10, 2021 Meeting 
(Review Visualizations/Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

• Meeting Agenda December 7-11, 2021

December 11, 2021 CRC Business Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 1:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business 

• Meeting Agenda December 7-11, 2021

December 13, 2021 Meeting 
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 1:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 14, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 15, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 16, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 17, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 18, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 19, 2021 Meeting
(Live Line Drawing Meeting)
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 20, 2021 CRC Business Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 21, 2021 Final Report Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 22, 2021 Final Report Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 11:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 23, 2021 CRC Business Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

December 27, 2021 CRC Business Meeting
2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting – 9:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. daily or upon conclusion of business

https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/meetings 

Additionally, the City of Redlands has also asked the Redistricting Commission to reconsider the impacts of this new map: 

"GOP Rep. Jay Obernolte cast a vote on Jan. 6 objecting to the electoral votes in Arizona being rightfully cast for the winner Joe Biden and then, after the horrible attack on the Capitol, cast a vote objecting to awarding the Pennsylvania votes to the winner Joe Biden.

Seventeen GOP members of the house that had intended to object to Pennsylvania had the courage to change their mind after the attack rather than do what the attackers had demanded they do. Mr. Obernolte did not have any such courage and will have to live with the shame of that vote forever." - Highland Community News