After leaked City Hall audio scandal, LA voters approve Measure DD to create independent redistricting commission

Los Angeles voters passed Measure DD, which would create an independent redistricting commission when it comes time to redraw the fifteen city council districts, instead of allowing council members to draw their own districts.

“It took a leaked audio to make everyday Angelenos aware of, ‘Look, this is what happened. Individuals can use district lines to their advantage and they’re doing it right here in LA,'” California common cause Voting rights & Redistribution Program Manager Russia Chavis Cardenas.

Measure DD came to the vote due to the release of secretly recorded racist audio from 2022 council members, including former City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilman Kevin de Leon, who had just lost his re-election bid. They were heard discussing ways to maintain their power through the redistribution process. Thanks to Measure DD, lawmakers can’t get their hands on the new maps.

“The near-unanimous passage came out of disgust at what was revealed in those tapes,” said Councilor Nithya Raman. “The momentum for it did indeed come from those ties. And I’m proud to say that I used that momentum to make real reforms by taking power away from sitting councilors – something that is not easy to do. “

So who is eligible to serve on an independent redistricting commission?

“The best group of people are people from all walks of life who understand different parts of the city; who come from different backgrounds, whether they are lower income individuals or higher affluence,” said Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College. “People with a wide range of interests so they can really discuss how lines should be drawn, which communities should be held together. This is really about which neighborhoods come together to form a district – to have representation that reflects and responds to Angelenos on the ground.”

The new LA committee will consist of 16 members, who will receive a small compensation for their work. Independent redistricting commissions already exist for congressional, state, and supervisory districts.

The impact of the new commission will only become visible after the 2030 census is taken, when the lines are redrawn to reflect demographic changes.