The current layout of six congressional districts that lie in or intrude upon OC is the embarrasing aftermath of political gerrymandering. My district based in Huntington Beach has a pregnant-snake appendage that uses a thread of Long Beach and San Pedro to bring in Palos Verdes. The San Clemente area is a bizarre appendage to a district based in Corona. The Mission Viejo area is ridiculously tied to Diamond Bar. The Fullerton district is shaped like a bridge or a rainbow, which makes for some nice images but an odd shape for a political district.
Redistricting is on its way after the 2010 census, with a theoretically nonpartisan committee per Prop 11. OC’s population is 3.14 million, and each redefined Congressional district will be around 700k, so a sensible configuration of OC should yield four solid districts, with half a district’s worth matched up with LA.
I’ve taken the liberty of downloading the recent California population figures on to Excel, and consulting with a handy map of OC to come up with a politics-free, neutral redistricting as done by a political outsider with no agenda one way of another for any particular incumbent.
District “One” – South County: The southeast half of Irvine, and all communities in OC to the south of Irvine.
District “Two” – Coastal Cities: The northwest half of Irvine, all the coastal communities from Newport Beach to Seal Beach/Sunset Beach, plus Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, and Westminster.
District “Three” – Central County: Tustin, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Stanton, and part of Cypress.
District “Four” – North County: Anaheim, Buena Park, Orange, Villa Park, and Fullerton.
Communities north of Fullerton/Anaheim, as well as the rest of Cypress, La Palma, and Los Alamitos go to Los Angeles districts.
What do you guys think? Its just a rough draft.
Prop 11 does not apply to congressional districts
You want to have Brea, Placentia and Yorba Linda with L.A.? I’d say get out the eraser and do some re-work.
A true North district would be Fullerton, Yorba Linda, Brea, Placentia, La Habra, Buena Park, Cypress and La Palma. Maybe La Habra Heights since it is on the OC side of the hill and La Mirada if more people are needed.
Is not 6 districts better then 4?
uhh… Ron. Nice thought but our terrific legislators in Sacramento still have the authority to “gerrymander” congressional districts. You knew this, right?
Better to keep your pie hole shut and let folks think you are an idiot than open your pie hole and prove it.
The pie hole is still wide open and calling me an idiot is at least a slight exaggeration. Here’s a six-district plan as requested, with more respect for a North County flavor:
1. South County: Southeast Irvine and all communities to the southeast.
2. Coastal: Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Westminster, and the East part of Garden Grove.
3. 605 Club: Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Hawaiian Gardens, La Palma, Stanton and the West part of Garden Grove, Cerritos, Artesia, Lakewood, Bellflower, Norwalk, Downey, and Santa Fe Springs.
4. Central: Northwest part of Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Villa Park, and Santa Ana.
5. North County: Anaheim, Fullerton, Buena Park, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Hacienda Heights, and La Mirada.
6. Foothill: Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Placentia, Brea, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Rowland Heights, Chino Hills, Chino, Corona, Norco.