James Gallagher will still be Butte County’s assemblyman under new redistricting maps approved this week.
The California Citizens Redistricting Commission had earlier shifted Butte from the Yuba City Republican’s 3rd District into the 1st District in Northeastern California. But that proposal drew criticism from a number of Butte County residents.
The new 3rd District will look very similar to the existing district, encompassing all of Butte, Tehama, Glenn, Sutter and Yuba counties, and part of Placer County.
In the state Senate, however, Jim Nielsen’s 4th District has gone elsewhere. The Red Bluff Republican’s district will largely be absorbed into the 1st District, which will include Butte, Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen Plumas, Sierra and Nevada counties, and northeastern Placer County.
The new 4th District stretches south from the 1st District along the Nevada border, all the way to include Inyo County, the foothill and mountain counties south to Madera County, and Stanislaus County on the San Joaquin Valley floor.
The 1st District seat doesn’t come up for re-election until 2024, But Nielsen’s term ends next year. But Nielsen instead appears to be considering a run for State Controller instead. He has registered a fund-raising committee — Nielsen for State Controller 2022 — with the California Secretary of State.
The committee was actively raising money as of the end of June. The deadline for reporting donations for the second half of this year isn’t until next year.
The 1st Congressional District map has also shifted, losing some foothill and mountain territory in exchange for more on the Sacramento Valley Floor.
The district now held by Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) will include all of Butte, Sutter, Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc and Lassen counties, and part of Yuba County.
Plumas, Sierra and Nevada counties, which are in the 1st District currently, will be added to a 3rd District that includes the counties east of the Sierra, down to include Inyo County.
The current 3rd District — which includes Colusa and western Glenn County — will shift southwest to absorb much of the current 5th District. The new district will be numbered as the 4th.
The maps are visible at https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where there is an easy-to-use viewer. Public comments can still be made on the maps, But they are expected to be certified next week.
Redistricting happens every 10 years, following the Census. All districts have to be roughly equal in terms of population.
The congressional seat changes were also complicated because California will lose one seat in the House of Representatives, because some other states are growing faster.
In most states, the legislature draws the maps, a process that can be political and often draws criticism.
In 2008, California voters created an independent citizens commission to redraw the districts. It consists for five Democrats, five Republicans, and four not affiliated with either party.
A new commission is picked for each redistricting session in a process that is concluded with a random drawing of the 14 names.
