State Redistricting Commission Approves All District Maps

A state redistricting commission approved its final maps for congressional and state legislative electoral districts on Friday, making it likely that they will become the voting districts until the next redistricting process in 10 years.

The final meeting of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will be on August 15, according to the commission's spokesman Rob Wilcox.  At that point, the commission will either vote to finalize the maps, or reject them- there will be no further revisions before that deadline, Wilcox said (for more on the commission and its process ).

That means that the maps that have been released (which can be viewed on an interactive map here) will most likely be the next state districts.

In North Hollywood, Valley Village and Toluca Lake, the new congressional districts would be what the draft plan calls the East San Fernando Valley - Tujunga District and the West San Fernando Valley - Calabasas District.

The Tujunga District will be about two-thirds Latino and include almost all of North Hollywood and part of Valley Village, paving the way for a possible Latino candidate to become the first to represent the San Fernando Valley. On June 10, just after the preliminary boundaries were announced, to run for Congress and represent the Tujunga District.

The new boundaries also sets the stage for a possible showdown between two longtime Valley political heavyweights, Brad Sherman and Howard Berman, congressmen who before now have represented different districts but now will likely find themselves living the same district, the new West San Fernando Valley - Calabasas District. Berman currently represents the 28th District, which includes San Fernando, Pacoima, Arleta, Panorama City, Sylmar, and North Hollywood, territory that will be moved to the East San Fernando Valley - Tujunga District.

Berman indicated in a statement that if the new lines are finalized, he would opt to run for the West San Fernando Valley - Calabasas District.

"Still, if the final districts look anything like the draft map released today, my home is squarely in the district it is calling 'West San Fernando Valley - Calabasas.'  It's premature to make an official campaign announcement until district lines are finalized, however, there is no question that I would want to continue representing this community," Berman said.

If finalized, the lines will also into two Congressional districts.