Coachella Valley District Takes New Shape With New Political Maps

California’s voter-created citizens commission has certified the state’s new legislative and congressional maps, scrambling the political landscape and setting off a wide-open campaign season next year.

The 14-member California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted on final maps for Congress, the Legislature and the Board of Equalization, which administers sales and use taxes. The panel released drafts two weeks ago but gave formal approval Monday.

The new state Assembly, Senate and Board of Equalization maps were approved 13-1, with Republican commissioner Michael Ward voting no. Ward, of Anaheim, and another Republican commissioner, Jodie Filkins Webber of Norco, voted against the new congressional boundaries.

Under the changes, Desert Hot Springs is now in the 45th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs.

Bono Mack told News Channel 3 she feels it’s a good choice, unifying the Coachella Valley.

Ward issued a statement saying he thought the panel failed to adhere to the federal Voting Rights Act, which requires that minority groups be placed in the same district.

Fight Brews Over State Senate MapsM

California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro says the party will file a petition on Tuesday seeking a referendum to overturn newly approved state Senate districts.

Del Beccaro told The Associated Press on Monday that the party will submit ballot language to the secretary of state’s office.

Political consultant Dave Gilliard has been hired to run the referendum campaign. He says the group will need to collect about 505,000 valid signatures to qualify the measure for the June 2012 ballot.

Del Beccaro said a separate group plans to file a lawsuit claiming that the Senate district covering the central coastal region now represented by GOP Sen. Sam Blakeslee is unconstitutional.