California Citizens Redistricting Commission

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC) draws the boundaries of the state's State Senate, State Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts. The commission is also responsible for drawing the boundaries for California's congressional districts, but the congressional districts drawn in 2021 were overriden in 2025 by California's voters with the passage of Proposition 50 and replaced by districts drawn by the California State Legislature. The commission retains the authority to draw the state's U.S. House districts following a decennial census, which it will exercise after the 2030 United States census.

The commission first met in 2010 and has fourteen members: five commissioners each from the first and second largest political parties in the state by voter registration, and four commissioners who are not registered with either of those two parties. Although the majority of the commission's work takes place in the year after the decennial census, all fourteen members serve for an entire decade, and all are replaced just prior to the start of the next decennial redistricting cycle.

The commissioner selection process is conducted by the California State Auditor and starts with open applications. While the selection process includes some consideration of geographic representation across the state, commissioners do not officially represent regions; all commissioners represent the whole state. As an independent, citizen commission, commissioners are prohibited from an extensive list of political positions and activities for ten years before applying and five to ten years after selection.

There is a set timeline during years ending in “9,” “0,” and “1” for the selection of new commissioners, issuance of draft maps, certification of final maps, and consideration of any challenges to final maps. The CCRC has now successfully redistricted California in both cycles since its creation (2010 and 2020). Any major change to the CCRC’s current role, authority, structure, system, or timeline requires an amendment to Article XXI of the California constitution.