Final answer:
Californians favor an independent citizens’ commission to draw political district boundaries to prevent gerrymandering and ensure fair representation. Currently, five states use such commissions for redistricting. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the use of these commissions.
Step-by-step explanation:
In California, an independent citizens' commission is responsible for drawing political district boundaries. The establishment of this commission was driven by the concern that having politicians draw district lines could lead to gerrymandering, which often results in districts that favor incumbents or particular political parties.
The commission aims to create competitive electoral districts to combat political extremism and ensure fair representation. For example, after the redistricting by the commission in the San Fernando Valley, Latino voters gained representation aligned with their demographic majority.
Despite some opposition, the independent commission's maps have largely been perceived as in line with voter preferences.
Currently, five states—Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, and Washington—use fully independent commissions to draw legislative and congressional districts. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the authority of these commissions in the case of Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (2015).
Such commissions are seen as a way to address the potential for partisan gerrymandering, ensuring that districts are not drawn in favor of any political party or incumbent, as mandated by amendments to some state constitutions like in Florida.