SACRAMENTO — The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has released draft maps for the state’s Congressional, Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization districts.

The maps are a “starting point for public discussion,” according to Commission Chair Trena Turner. “These are not intended to be final maps and we strongly encourage Californians to continue weighing in until we get it right. A global pandemic and delayed census data would not stop this commission from delivering on its promise to create maps that encourage fair representation.”

Turner noted that final maps will be completed and certified by the Dec. 27 deadline.

The commission assessed the communities of interest testimony it received throughout the summer to inform district boundaries and consider tradeoffs that needed to be made in eventual maps.

Draft maps can be found at wedrawthelinesca.org/draft_maps.

Public feedback can be submitted at airtable.com/shrQDD2ta2emnSzzO and will be taken through at least Nov. 24, the date of public display of the first preliminary statewide draft maps of the Congressional, state Senatorial, Assembly and state Board of Equalization districts. The commission shall not display any other map for public comment during the 14-day period.

In accordance with the California Constitution the commission followed these criteria, in this order, to draw district maps:

1. Districts must be of equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution.

2. Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.

3. Districts must be drawn contiguously, so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.

4. Districts must minimize the division of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of interest to the extent possible.

5. Districts should be geographically compact: such that nearby areas of population are not bypassed for a more distant population. This requirement refers to density, not shape. Census blocks cannot be split.

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

The place of residence of any incumbent or political candidate may not be considered in the creation of a map, and districts may not be drawn for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against an incumbent, political candidate or political party.

Every 10 years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its electoral districts so that the state’s population is evenly allocated among the new districts.

In 2008 California voters passed the Voters First Act, authorizing the creation of the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw new state Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization district lines. In 2010 the Voters First Act for Congress gave the Commission the responsibility of drawing new Congressional districts following every census.

For more information visit WeDrawTheLinesCA.org.