New California Voting Districts Approved

The California Citizens Redistricting Committee approved a final set of maps that totally redraw California electoral boundaries on Monday.

The vote caps off a process that began in 2008 when voters approved the new redistricting commission to replace the old process of the state Legislature handling the redistricting process that is done every 10 years.

The maps will be used for the 2012 election assuming that they survive any potential challenges - California state GOP officials have already released a statement saying they may challenge the plan with a ballot referendum and other legal challenges are possible.

Sierra Madre's new districts can be viewed at right, and districts for the entire state can be viewed on this interactive map.

Congressional District

In the case of the congressional district, Sierra Madre will now be part of a district that pushes south through Altadena and Pasadena, down to the 60 Freeway, including South Pasadena, San Marino, Rosemead, Monterey Park, and San Gabriel.  It also would have some foothill cities to the east, including Glendora.

Sierra Madre's current representative David Dreier will now reside in a different district, making it likely that he would no longer represent Sierra Madre after the 2012 election. 

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, will reside in the new district and has already .

Anthony Portantino, who currently represents Sierra Madre's neighboring Assembly district that includes Altadena has reached the term limit for serving in the Assembly. But Portantino has said

Assembly District

Sierra Madre's state districts would also see some significant changes. 

The most striking difference between the current district boundaries and the newly proposed district is that the large swath of San Bernardino County that is currently part of the 59th Assembly District has been separated from the new district.

Thus, the district would no longer include the large piece of San Bernardino County, including, among other cities, 59th district Assemblyman Tim Donnelly's home of Twin Peaks, CA.

In the new district, Sierra Madre would instead be grouped with Altadena, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Monrovia, as well as a group of cities in eastern Los Angeles County that are geographically linked to the western cities only through the Angeles National Forest.

Those cities include San Dimas, parts of Claremont and La Verne and Upland.

State Senate District

In the new state senate district, Sierra Madre would be grouped with Pasadena, South Pasadena, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Burbank and Glendale. 

Bob Huff currently represents Sierra Madre in the State Senate, but as he would no longer live in the newly proposed district, he would not be eliable to run for reelection.

Carol Liu, who currently does not represent Sierra Madre and lives in La Canada Flintridge, would in fact be eligible to run in Sierra Madre's new district.