Riverside County Official Chosen To Help Redistrict California

Norco attorney Jodie P. Filkins Webber was among the first eight people chosen today to the Citizens Redistricting Commission.

The eight commissioners were chosen in a random drawing in Sacramento by California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle among 36 applicants.

The commissioners are scheduled to hold their first meeting Nov. 30 in Sacramento and choose the remaining six commissioners from among the 28 remaining applicants.

Webber is a Republican. Of the initial eight commissioners, three are Democrats, three are Republicans and two are declined to state.

The final makeup of the commission will consist of five Democrats, five Republicans and four members that are registered as declined-to-state or with another party.

The commission was established by passage of Proposition 11 on the November 2008 ballot and survived a move to disband it this month’s election. It will redraw the lines for the California’s congressional, state Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization districts.

“The redistricting reforms we achieved on the ballot take the power of drawing district lines away from the politicians and puts it in the hands of the people where it belongs,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said today.