SLO County Supervisors plan redistricting commission

January 20, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 16 voted 3-2 to move forward with plans create a redistricting commission, with supervisor John Peschong and Debbie Arnold dissenting. If created, the commission will be tasked with drawing supervisorial district boundary lines every 10 years.

The board voted to ask state Sen. John Laird’s office to promoted legislation creating an “independent redistricting commission” for the county.

Supervisor Jimmy Paulding said that by selecting a commission, the power to create districts would be placed in the hands of the people and not elected officials.

Supervisor Debbie Arnold disagreed, saying supervisors are tasked with redistricting and she does not want to pass that responsibility off to a group of people who were not elected by their constituents. While groups such as the League of Women Voters are listed as non-partisan, the local group’s membership is comprised of more than 90% registered Democrats and only one registered Republican, who recently changed from Democrat to Republican.

If approved, the proposed commission will be comprised of county residents who are not elected officials, lobbyists, candidates, campaign donors, or their close family members. Members will be selected through an application and selection process, where they will be subject to the criteria and qualifications outlined in the ordinance.