Detail of the BSDC map, one of several under consideration for Berkeley. The Berkeley City Council is engaged in a lawsuit with itself over redistricting. With leadership and compromise, we can put this matter behind us Tuesday night (tonight). How we got here: Redistricting is required every 10 years. Since populations shift and federal law requires that […]
Measure S
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City of Berkeley heads to court over redistricting lines
The city filed a lawsuit to ask a judge to decide which lines to use during November’s election. (Click the thumbnail to learn more.) The city filed a lawsuit to ask a judge to decide which lines to use during November’s election. (Click the thumbnail to learn more.) The city of Berkeley has filed a […]
Posted inCity
Official pushes for independent redistricting panel
Councilman Jesse Arreguín believes an independent redistricting panel will better serve the Berkeley voters. Photo: Emilie Raguso Berkeley Councilman Jesse Arreguín has launched a ballot initiative to change the city’s approach to redistricting, arguing that “partisan self interest” and a “broken” process have crippled recent efforts, as well as those during the last redistricting attempt more […]
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Berkeley redistricting maps to be on November ballot, judge to choose which lines to use
Council approved the “Berkeley Student District Campaign” map in December. Council approved the “Berkeley Student District Campaign” map in December. The Berkeley City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night to let the voters decide which map of council districts will best represent the community’s interests moving forward. In recent years, the city has struggled to come […]
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Council majority pushes redistricting decisions to March
Many of the speakers who came to Tuesday night’s council meeting oppose a redistricting ordinance adopted in December. Photo: Emilie Raguso Many of the speakers who came to Tuesday night’s council meeting oppose a redistricting ordinance adopted in December. Photo: Emilie Raguso In a 6-3 vote, a Berkeley City Council majority ruled Tuesday night to […]
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Berkeley redistricting referendum effort prevails
Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel An effort underway over the past month to force the Berkeley City Council to revoke a recently adopted redistricting map, or put the council district issue before the voters later this year, has officially collected enough signatures for the referendum to proceed, city staff said Monday evening. The Berkeley Referendum Coalition turned in 7,867 […]
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Long-time Berkeley progressives back referendum drive
City council members Kriss Worthington, Jesse Arreguin and members the Berkeley Referendum Campaign turn in signatures to the city clerk’s office on Jan 21. Photo: Anthony Sanchez The group that collected 7,896 signatures to force a City Council redistricting plan onto the ballot spent more than $5,000 on paid signature gatherers in January, but only […]
Posted inCity, Schools
Redistricting opponents secure signatures to force vote
City council members Kriss Worthington, Jesse Arreguin and members the Berkeley Referendum Campaign turn in signatures to the city clerk’s office on Tuesday. Photo: Anthony Sanchez City council members Kriss Worthington, Jesse Arreguin and members the Berkeley Referendum Campaign turn in signatures to the city clerk’s office on Tuesday. Photo: Anthony Sanchez Opponents of a […]
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$2,750 fine assessed after Measure S campaign violations
FCPC commissioners review papers in a May 2013 meeting. (Note: Some of these commissioners are no longer serving.) Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Update, Jan. 17: Berkeley’s Fair Campaign Practices Commission voted Thursday night to increase the fine for “Yes on S” campaign violations to $3,750, according to the East Bay Express. The campaign had failed to list the individual […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: We don’t need a redistricting referendum
Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel There is a campaign afoot to waste Berkeleyans’ time and tax dollars. On Dec. 17, 2013, the Berkeley City Council adopted a long-awaited redistricting map that rebalances population across Berkeley’s City Council Districts. The vote came after two rounds of redistricting over the last three years, including a total of 17 community […]
Posted inCity, Events
Tight deadline to get redistricting referendum on ballot
Xan Joi stook outside Berkeley Bowl on Dec. 24 to collect signatures to force a redistricting measure to go on the ballot. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel With only two weeks left to collect 5,275 signatures to force a city council redistricting measure on the ballot, members of the Berkeley Referendum Coalition are holding a rally on […]
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Berkeley redistricting map splits council, community
The Berkeley Student District Campaign map was approved Tuesday night. Image: City of Berkeley What some described as a historic move by the Berkeley City Council to approve a new student-majority district centered around Telegraph Avenue was decried by others Tuesday night as political “gerrymandering” aimed at splitting the city’s progressive voice and excluding some […]