Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Santa Barbara County Gets Big Response In Citizen Redistricting Effort

Current Santa Barbara County Supervisorial Districts, which will be redrawn as a result of the 2020 census.

Santa Barbara County officials say nearly 200 people applied for a new, independent commission which will oversee redistricting in the county.

The new 11 person commission is being established as a result of a ballot measure passed by voters in the 2018 election.  The commission will take redistricting out of the hands of Santa Barbara County Supervisors.

The idea is to make the process free from the influence of County Supervisors, political parties, and other special interests.  The process called for the County Registrar of Voters to pick the 45 most qualified candidates based on the criteria in the ordinance. 

On October 20th, the District Attorney will conduct a public random drawing from the 45 names to pick 45 names.  The five commissioners will then select the final six commission members from the remaining 40 people in the pool.   The commission will use 2020 census data to redraw the supervisorial district which will be used in the county for the next decade.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.