For Patricia Sinai, a memorable experience in her life was serving on the California Civic District Commission, which tackled the state’s political boundaries that were often badly fractured.
“I witnessed democracy up close,” said Sinai, 58, who lives in Encinitas and works as a nonprofit consultant.
“There were 14 diverse members from various backgrounds,” she explained. “Some understood district changes better than others, but we all became experts, united in our goal to create fair maps for Californians.”
Much of that effort may soon be undone, as voters are being prompted to reject the unintentional Congressional lines crafted by Sinai and her colleagues in favor of a clearly gerrymandered map that aims to protect California’s Republican representative.
Sinai, a Democrat, expressed some ambiguity on the matter.
She sees the motivation behind this initiative as a strong reaction to Republican gerrymandering in Texas, and with President Trump’s influence, it appears to bolster Republican prospects ahead of the challenging 2026 midterm elections.
“What President Trump is asking for is absolutely terrible. Texas’s actions are also abhorrent,” Sinai remarked. “I don’t support the current administration’s tactics. They strike me as both dangerous and frightening.”
However, she added, “I don’t think this is the best way to counteract what they are doing.”
Sinai noted that Republicans have more avenues for gerrymandering on a national scale than Democrats do. She questioned the necessity of California’s special election on November 4, emphasizing that many people are currently suffering and could benefit from those funds in better ways.
Other commissioners hold different views.
Sarah Sadwani, a 45-year-old Democrat and political science professor at Pomona University, has initiated efforts to push back against gerrymandering, having testified before the state Senate, advocating for legislation that enables voters to aid in the Democratic resurgence.
“These times are extraordinary,” Sadwani asserted. “And extraordinary times require extraordinary measures.”
Stockton pastor and committee member Torena Turner expressed great pride in their work, advocating for a fair approach to political mapping as a model for the rest of America.
Still, she mentioned that given the current threats from GOP gerrymandering in places like Florida, “We shouldn’t manipulate rules on a state-by-state basis.”
“Individual Congressional districts aren’t the only voices that matter,” remarked the 64-year-old Democrat. “We need to advocate for the soul of our nation.”
Neil Fornaciari, a Republican and chair of the Constituency Committee, clarified that individual members are expressing personal opinions and that their mapping duties were completed at the end of 2021, though the committee remains active.
The 63-year-old retired mechanical engineer from northern California emphasized, “The committee has had no part in this rezoning.”
Furthermore, he refrained from sharing his personal stance on gerrymandering by Democrats.
The agency formed in 2008 after California voters approved Prop. 11, or the Voters’ First Act, with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger championing the initiative to create fairness in legislative contests by removing the power from lawmakers to define political districts in alignment with their interests.
In 2010, voters extended the committee’s oversight to include congressional races.
The 14-member panel consists of five Democrats, five Republicans, and four independents, with over 30,000 Californians applying for positions.
The final 14 were chosen after a stringent selection process led by nonpartisan state auditors, which included detailed surveys, multiple essays, and personal interviews. Among the selected were seminary professors, structural engineers, and investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Over 16 months, often working longer than 12-hour days, the commissioners produced 176 maps, establishing boundaries for 52 members of the Legislature, 120 state legislators, and four members of the Equality Committee, responsible for overseeing California’s tax collection.
They performed their duties voluntarily, earning $378 per day for days spent in sessions.
It’s a point of pride for them that no one has successfully challenged their work legally, a rarity in this field.
“In most cases, it’s hard to pinpoint our political alliances just by observing our meetings,” Republican commissioner Russell Yee commented via email. “We unanimously approved the final map, illustrating that citizens can carry out public work effectively, despite political, racial, regional, and generational differences.”
Yee, who is 64 and the academic director at Berkeley’s Center for Christian Studies, generally opposes democratic gerrymandering efforts. However, he’s considering supporting Proposition 50 due to the upcoming voting law but keeps an open mind.
No one feels that their efforts will be in vain if voters choose to overturn the congressional map drawn by Yee and his colleagues. They noted that California’s legislative and equality committee districts remain unchanged, and the new congressional boundaries have resulted in competitive races for both 2020 and 2024.
“We’ve demonstrated that independent citizen mapping can work effectively in California, even in complex states that are diverse and heavily populated,” Yee stated.
Sinai, the nonprofit consultant, finds herself uncertain about Proposition 50.
She hopes it won’t lead to a permanent power shift and believes the Congressional districts should revert to the committee after the next census, as previously promised by various sources and supporters of gerrymandering. While she thinks a self-serving politician’s map is not ideal, it ultimately falls to voters to make the final decision.
“We definitely support Californians in whatever they choose,” Sinai said.
