My column this week is based on the fact that 7 Democratic state legislators were elected with 100% of the vote last month. It seems to me to be a travesty of democracy and proof positive that gerrymandered districts have become obscene.

I am flattered that 7 newspapers (Daily Breeze, Daily News, Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Sonoma Tribune, Ventura County Star and the Whittier Daily News) carried the column and that I’ve received quite a bit of feedback from readers.

If you haven’t read it, click on extended entry....

California’s 100% Solution

Pull quote - Not even Fidel Castro wins 100% of the vote.

Scott Harris

What do the following individuals have in common?

State Senators Dean Florez in the 16th District, Gloria Negrete McLeod in the 32nd District, State Assembly people Noreen Evans in the 7th District, Juan Arambula in the 31st District, Richard Alarcon in the 39th District, Fabian Nunez in the 46th District and Mervyn Dymally in the 52nd District?

They are all Democrats and they all won election, or reelection, to the California State legislature last month with 100% of the votes cast in their district. This is not a misprint – 100%.

Everyone from the old political machines must be turning over in their graves with the California returns. Even the late mayor Richard J. Daley, who personified the infamous Chicago-ism “Vote early and often” never grabbed 100% of the vote. Responding to accusations that his father bought the 1960 presidential election, John F. Kennedy often joked that he received a telegram from Joseph Kennedy saying, “Don’t buy another vote, I won’t pay for a landslide.” Not even Fidel Castro gets 100% of the vote. What waste, what largesse – what a joke.

This over-the-top show of Democratic muscle and unfair districts also extended to the United States Congress where three more Democrat incumbents were elected with 100% of the vote: Jim Costa in the 20th, Xavier Becerra in the 31st, and Diane Watson in the 33rd. Congress is also where the Republicans had their single 100% victory, returning Gary Miller of the 42nd to Capitol Hill and proving that both parties can abuse the system. Democrats, however, are just better at it.

This means that in 11 California state senate, state assembly and congressional districts, the minority party (or parties) did not even bother to run a candidate. How is possible in a state where only 43% of registered voters are Democrats that seven Democratic state legislators are sent to Sacramento with 100% of the vote? Why didn’t Republicans or one of the minor parties even bother to put a candidate up against these Democrats?

How is possible in the 20 State Senate races last month, that in addition to the two unanimous decisions, seven won with at least 60% of the vote and nine won with 70% or greater? All 20 districts stayed with the same party and no incumbents were turned out.

The 80 State Assembly races were no different. Along with five unanimous “races,” all districts stayed with the same party and again, no incumbents were defeated. 41 won with at least 60% of the vote, 12 with 70% or more and six with 80%..

What is the answer behind such lopsided election results? Gerrymandered districts.

Regular readers of this column know that I believe the biggest obstacle to representative democracy – which is what we are supposed to have - is the gerrymandering of state senate, state assembly and congressional districts.

Not only does gerrymandering virtually guarantee results (in the last three statewide elections, no California state legislator incumbent has lost and no district has switched parties), it eliminates democracy.

There is no forum for debate, no discussion of issues, and no new ideas. We stifle the desire of future generations to get involved, and we fail to teach our children the value of a representative democracy and the importance of civic participation. How do parents and teachers in these warped districts respond when asked by future voters of California: “Why should I bother voting when my vote so obviously doesn’t count?” Rarely has a tired cliché proven so true.

Democracy is about ideas, choices and the voice of the people. Sacramento has effectively excluded the citizens of California from the election process. Unless we stand up and demand to have our votes count and counted, to have fair districts, great debates and campaigns worthy of our attention – we will continue to have our representatives chosen for us through a rigged system, rather than electing them ourselves.

As former State Controller Steve Westley said – it was easier to get voted out of the old U.S.S.R. Politburo than the California State Legislature. Let’s make the necessary changes – fair districts and honest politicians– to end this travesty.