New California Redistricting Tools

Healthy City has assembled a new website, ReDrawCa.org (click through the user agreement), to assist the people of California to comment about redistricting at the community level. The site includes:

• A commenting tool allowing users to post information about their communities - this allows not just commenting, but tagging your comment to a particular geographical location in the state;
• A data access tool allowing users to view, in map form, census data about their local communities, or the state (under "Map thematic data" and "Map points of interest")
• A mapping tool that allows users to redraw districts (under "Edit area").

As the site explains:

ReDrawCA.org gives you the tools to share knowledge about your community’s needs, research and map key redistricting data, and share ideas with other community members or grassroots organizations. You can also draw your own district lines, then see how fourteen different data variables in your proposed district stack up against the data from the existing district. It also allows you to collaborate with other people or organizations to re-draw district boundaries, and then share your maps and data. And if you want to testify to the Citizens Redistricting Commission, ReDrawCA gives you the tools to communicate your local knowledge to the CRC in a way they can easily understand, and gives you access to the data to back up your argument. It’s free, easy to use, and tutorials and technical assistance are available!

. . .

ReDrawCA.org lets you share your work with individuals or groups that you specify, or allows you to make your work public to anyone using the site. Share your research and proposed districts to get feedback and insight from other organizations, and work together to draw the district you think will be the most equitable.

Healthy City itself is a community-based organization that acts as clearinghouse for community information on a number of different levels. According to their site, "California's information + action resource for service referrals and social change. You can search for community services, research and share community data, and consult our team for strategic advice." Healthy City itself is a part of Advancement Project, founded as a civil rights project.

We suggest that all Californians interested in the redistricting process visit the site to see how they can learn more about the process and provide input.