530-993-4379
Sierra Booster
  • Home
  • Newspaper
    • Latest News
    • Letters to the Editor >
      • Submit Letter to the Editor
    • Old News Archive
    • Photo Tour
    • Events
    • About Us
    • SUBSCRIBE
  • Advertiser Directory
    • Advertiser Press Releases
    • Website Sponsors
    • Advertiser Area
  • Buy Ads - Services
  • Fishing Report
  • Contact Us
  • Admin Log In

Citizens File Lawsuit Against State of California

5/4/2017

1 Comment

 


 


May 3, 2017
For Immediate Release
Citizens for Fair Representation (CFR) will file a lawsuit against the State of California for lack of representation and dilution of vote. CFR represents citizens from 21 rural counties in the northern area of the State. A long list of plaintiffs have joined CFR in the lawsuit, representing a diversity of cultures, ages, races and political philosophy.
Over the last 3 years, most of these plaintiffs have petitioned the California State Legislature and Secretary of State seeking equal/fair representation,  Tens of thousands of letters, phone calls and emails have gone out to their elected representatives, requesting they introduce a Bill or Resolution, creating a more representative balance in both legislative chambers. The plaintiffs have personally  visited  individual legislative offices,  but plaintiffs claim that all requests have gone ignored,  leaving them no choice but to now enter the legal process.
Currently, California's population is just under 40 million,  represented by 40 State Senators and 80 Assembly members. The same number of elected representatives that  in 1862 represented 416,640 people.
Prior to 1964, just about every County was represented by one State Senator. Today a California State Senator represents an average of 1 million people, with each  assembly member, representing 500,000.  Currently,  11 northern rural counties have one Senator whose vote is diluted by 15 senators representing the single County of Los Angeles.
California's imbalance of representation ranks the worst on the list of 50 States. The small state of New Hampshire has 400 in their StateHouse of Representatives, with one representative for less than 4,000 people.  There are 24 State Senators,  or 1 for every 55,000 citizens. New Hampshire's ratio of balance closely models the representation that CFR is seeking to accomplish.  If CFR is successful, this would be history in the making, not only for their 21 counties, but all of California's 58 counties and those in other states.
Claimants state, “California's refusal to increase its levels of representation to reflect its exponential population growth is both arbitrary and unconstitutional. “
The case, Citizens for Fair Representation vs Secretary of State Alex Padilla, will be filed on May 8th, in the United States District Court, Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division.  Citizens for Fair Representation is a 501(C)(4), a non profit corporation.
#   #   #
1 Comment
Micheal R. Rampley
6/28/2017 11:40:40 pm

Your claim that prior to 1964, MOST counties had one state senator in Sacramento is incorrect. Only half of the 58 counties had one state senator, the other 29 counties shared 11 state senators in districts composed of 2 or 3 counties each.

That system of apportionment was instituted in the late twenties as a way of curbing the growing political power of Southern California and took advantage of the fact that southern California (as then understood) consisted of only ten counties, giving northern California a 30 to 10 advantage in the State Senate.

The US Supreme ruled in 1964, (Reynolds v Sims) that such "little federal" apportionment schemes violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. This ruling was just affirmed again last year by the court in an 8 to 0 decision. (Evenwel v Abbott, 2016)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    April 2014
    September 2009

    Categories

    All
    2015
    Sierra County News

    RSS Feed

    Vie
    ​w Old News

CONTACT US:

Sierra Booster Newspaper
PO Box 8
Loyalton, CA 96118
Phone: 530-993-4379
Fax: 844-272-8583
Email: jbuck@psln.com

Website Privacy Policy​
Picture
Local Weather
©Copyright Sierra Booster - Sierra County News - Editorial
Website by Chamber Nation