Approved Redistricting Maps Finalize Newark's Move South

It’s final. Newark is shifting south when it comes to the representation of its Assembly and Senate districts, according to final redistricting maps that were approved this week.

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted on Monday to approve the final maps for Assembly, Senate, Congressional and Board of Equalization districts. View the maps that will be used for voting in the next decade here.

In the Tri-City area, Newark will shift south with most of Fremont.

Newark leaves the 13th Congressional District and enters the newly reconfigured 17th.

For the next decade Newark voters will now share a Congressional representative with Fremont, Milpitas, Cupertino, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale — not its Southern Alameda County neighbors Union City and Hayward.

Congressman Mike Honda (D-Campbell) has announced he would run for the 17th District in the 2012 elections.

Newark's Assembly District also shifts southward and drops Union City but gains Milpitas, Santa Clara, a portion of northern San Jose and a new number—25. Newark previously fell in California’s 20th Assembly District.

Senate District 10 remains mostly the same and is the only district in which the Tri-Cities remain whole. Sen. Majority Leader Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) currently represents the 10th District. She terms out in 2014.

Newark Mayor David Smith said in an email Tuesday that while the preference was to stay whole with other Alameda County cities in all districts, now Newark is aligned with the Silicon Valley, which he described as “not a bad place to be.”

Smith emphasized that the arrangement is similar to what it was when he first became mayor three decades ago.

“And there were no communication issues or a feeling of being ignored in favor of [Santa Clara] County,” Smith wrote.

Approved by voters in November 2008, Proposition 11 gave the Commission the authority to draw the new district lines on the electoral maps for the Assembly, State Senate and Board of Equalization. In November 2010, voters voted to have the Commission draw the congressional lines, too.

"For far too long Californians have been frustrated by a Legislature that drew districts that primarily supported the re-election of incumbent legislators," Commissioner Vince Barabba said in reference to gerrymandering and the need for the new process, which he called "transparent and fair.

"The voters showed they wanted fundamental government reform by creating the Citizens Redistricting Commission charged with the responsibility to create districts that provided candidates of all political persuasion a fair chance to be elected," he said.  

The Commission submitted final redistricting maps Monday to the Secretary of State for certification. The public now has 45 days to file any complaints, which will be reviewed by the California Supreme Court, according to spokesman Rob Wilcox.

The commission approved Board of Equalization, State Assembly, State Senate and congressional maps by votes of 13-1, 13-1, 13-1 and 12-2, respectively, Wilcox added.

The maps will take effect in time for the June 2012 primary, unless the courts issue an order precluding their use, Wilcox noted.

In the 65-page report, the Commission detailed its methodology, which included their attempt to fold Assembly districts into one-Senate districts and keep communities with shared interests together.

The commissioners, 14 citizens chosen from an applicant pool of more than 36,000, cannot hold public office for the next 10 years, or work in the Legislature or be a lobbyist for five years after the maps have been certified.

In total, 34 public meetings in 32 locations around the state took place, and more than 2,700 people participated in person. The commission received 20,000 written comments.

Nika Megino, Adelaide Chen, Sheila Sanchez and Alejando Lopez de Haro contributed to this article.