Battle Lines
Take it from a guy who knows: Gerrymandering stinks
By Jeff Harris
October 2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initiative to redistrict in California before the next census sets a dangerous precedent. His goal is flagrant gerrymandering.
California Republicans object to Newsom’s move, saying it violates the State Constitution. They have a point.
But you don’t hear them complain about the Texas Legislature’s efforts to give Republicans a five-seat boost in upcoming congressional races.
Gerrymandering is the art of drawing political boundaries to benefit political interests. I know something about this.
I lost my City Council seat in 2022 when my home was drawn out of my council district.
The move left East Sacramento voters without city representation for more than two years.
This was done not by partisan legislators, but by an “independent” redistricting committee. My experience shows “independent” commissions aren’t a panacea.
They are subject to political pressures. They may not be informed about neighborhood continuities, geography and constituents.
When my East Sac district was redrawn, the final map wasn’t even published for public consideration before adoption.
Newsom and fellow Democrats admit redrawing maps to favor their party is an extraordinary maneuver. They say the stakes are so high—thanks to actions by President Donald Trump and his administration—that action is needed to preserve democracy. They placed Proposition 50 on the November ballot to let Californians decide.
What does gerrymandering do? It destabilizes electoral boundaries, reduces minority representation and weakens community continuity. It gives political parties extraordinary influence over election outcomes. It’s rule by partisan politics.
To combat the damages of gerrymandering, Congress introduced the “For the People Act” in 2019 and 2021. The proposal includes:
—Creating independent commissions for redistricting, removing state legislatures from the process.
—Setting rules for map drawing, focusing on compactness, contiguity and considerations for communities.
—Increasing transparency through public input and requiring publicly circulated maps before finalization.
The bill passed the House but was blocked by Senate Republican filibusters in 2021.
Gerrymandering came before the Supreme Court in 2019. The Republican-appointed majority decided claims of partisan gerrymandering are beyond the scope of federal courts.
The ruling opened the gates for the gerrymandering we’ve seen in Texas and other states and now proposed in California. What a mess!
Despite my experience, there are better alternatives to having politicians set boundaries. Voters should select their representatives, not the other way around.
The right to vote and free and fair elections are the foundations of democracy. Gerrymandering undermines that foundation.
Your vote in November will hinge on whether you feel democracy is imperiled by the Trump administration.
There’s much to think about: the Jan. 6 insurrection, defunding of education, defunding of public broadcasting, defunding of many social safety nets, weakening of checks and balances in federal government, and the president’s criminal convictions.
How should California react to Texas? Do two wrongs make a right? You need to decide.
I keep hearing Mark Twain: “Never argue with stupid people. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!”
This applies to both political parties. But I have no doubt Californians will rise to the occasion in November.
Jeff Harris represented District 3 on City Council from 2014 to 2022. He can be reached at cadence@mycci.net. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
