California Election Reforms Flashcards
(15 cards)
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
a
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
