California Legal Codes and Statutes

Chapter 6.6 - County of Merced Citizens Redistricting Commission

California Elections Code — §§ 21554-21559

Sections (7)

§ 21554

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a)“Board” means the Board of Supervisors of the County of Merced.
(b)“Commission” means the Citizens Redistricting Commission in the County of Merced established pursuant to Section 21556.
(c)“Immediate family member” means a spouse, child, in-law, parent, or sibling.
§ 21555

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

There is, in the County of Merced, a Citizens Redistricting Commission. In the year following the year in which the decennial federal census is taken, the commission shall adjust the boundary lines of the supervisorial districts of the board in accordance with this chapter.

§ 21556

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The commission shall be created no later than December 31, 2030, and in each year ending in the number zero thereafter.
(b)The selection process is designed to produce a commission that is independent from the influence of the board and reasonably representative of the county’s diversity.
(c)The commission shall consist of 11 members. The political party preferences of the commission members, as shown on the members’ most recent affidavits of registration, shall be as proportional as possible to the total number of voters who are registered with each political party in the County of Merced, or who decline to state or do not indicate a party preference, as determined by

registration at the most recent statewide election. However, the political party or no party preferences of the commission members are not required to be exactly the same as the proportion of political party and no party preferences among the registered voters of the county. At least one commission member shall reside in each of the five existing supervisorial districts of the board.

(d)Each commission member shall meet all of the following qualifications:
(1)Be a resident of the County of Merced.
(2)Be a voter who has been continuously registered in the County of Merced with the same political party or no party preference and who has not changed their political party or no party preference for five or more years immediately preceding the date of their appointment to the commission.
(3)Have voted in at least one of the last three statewide elections immediately preceding their application to be a commission member.
(4)Within the eight years immediately preceding the date of application to the commission, neither the applicant, nor an immediate family member of the applicant, has done any of the following:
(A)Been appointed to, elected to, or been a candidate for office at the local, state, or federal level representing the County of Merced, including as a member of the board.
(B)Served as an employee of, or paid consultant for, an elected representative at the local, state, or federal level representing the County of Merced.
(C)Served as an employee of, or paid

consultant for, a candidate for office at the local, state, or federal level representing the County of Merced.

(D)Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a political party or as an appointed member of a political party central committee.
(E)Been a registered state or local lobbyist.
(5)Possess experience that demonstrates analytical skills relevant to the redistricting process and voting rights, and possess an ability to comprehend and apply the applicable state and federal legal requirements.
(6)Possess experience that demonstrates an ability to be impartial.
(7)Possess experience that demonstrates an appreciation for the diverse demographics and geography of the

County of Merced.

(e)An interested person meeting the qualifications specified in subdivision (d) may submit an application to the county elections official to be considered for membership on the commission. The county elections official shall review the applications and eliminate applicants who do not meet the specified qualifications.
(f)(1) From the pool of qualified applicants, the county elections official shall select up to 60 qualified applicants, taking into account the requirements described in subdivision (c). The county elections official shall make public the names of the selected applicants for at least 30 days. The county elections official shall not communicate with a member of the board, or an agent for a member of the board, about any matter related to the nomination process or applicants before the publication of the list of the selected

applicants.

(2)During the period described in paragraph (1), the county elections official may eliminate any of the previously selected applicants if the official becomes aware that the applicant does not meet the qualifications specified in subdivision (d).
(g)(1) After complying with the requirements of subdivision (f), the county elections official shall create a subpool for each of the five existing supervisorial districts of the board.
(2)At a regularly scheduled meeting of the board, the Auditor-Controller of the County of Merced shall conduct a random drawing to select one commissioner from each of the five subpools established by the county elections official.
(h)(1) The five commissioners selected

pursuant to subdivision (g), at a separate public meeting, shall review the remaining names of applicants, interview the finalists for appointment, allow public comment, and appoint six additional members to the commission, without respect to the subpools.

(2)In order to be appointed, an applicant must receive the vote of at least three of the five selected commissioners.
(3)The six appointees shall be chosen based on relevant experience, analytical skills, and ability to be impartial, and to ensure that the commission reflects the county’s diversity, including racial, ethnic, geographic, and gender diversity. However, formulas or specific ratios shall not be applied for this purpose. The five selected commissioners shall also consider political party preference, selecting applicants so that the political party preference of the members of the commission complies with

subdivision (c).

§ 21557

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)A commission member shall apply this chapter in a manner that is impartial and that reinforces public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process.
(b)The term of office of each commission member expires upon the appointment of the first member of the succeeding commission.
(c)Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. Seven or more affirmative votes shall be required for any official action.
(d)To the greatest extent practicable, each commission member shall be present for all public hearings and internal meetings of the commission.
(e)(1) The commission shall not retain a consultant who would not be qualified as an applicant pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 21556.
(2)For purposes of this subdivision, “consultant” means a person, whether or not compensated, retained to advise the commission or a commission member regarding any aspect of the redistricting process.
(f)Each commission member shall be a designated employee for purposes of the conflict of interest code adopted by the County of Merced pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 87300) of Chapter 7 of Title 9 of the Government Code.
§ 21557.5

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)A commission member shall not communicate with any individual or organization regarding redistricting matters outside of a public meeting. This subdivision does not restrict a commission member from communicating with the staff of the board regarding administrative matters of the commission.
(b)This subdivision does not restrict a commission member from directly communicating with another commission member, commission staff, legal counsel, or consultants retained by the commission.
§ 21558

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The commission shall establish single-member supervisorial districts for the board pursuant to a mapping process using the criteria set forth in Section 21130.
(b)(1) The commission shall comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code).
(2)(A) Before the commission draws a map, the commission shall conduct at least five public hearings, to take place over a period of no fewer than 30 days, with at least one public hearing held in each supervisorial district.
(B)In the event a

state or local health order prohibits large gatherings, the commission may modify the location of the hearings, including through the use of virtual hearings that use technology to permit remote viewing and participation, to the extent required to comply with public health requirements. If the commission modifies the location of a hearing, it shall provide opportunities to view and listen to proceedings by video, to listen to proceedings by phone, and to provide public comment by phone and in writing with no limitation on the number of commenters. The commission shall, to the greatest extent practicable, provide an opportunity for in-person participation for at least one hearing in each supervisorial district. Methods for providing in-person participation may include, but are not limited to, setting up multiple rooms with audiovisual connections to the hearing, allowing community members to make appointments to make public comment, providing personal protective equipment, or holding hearings in outdoor

spaces.

(3)After the commission draws a draft map, the commission shall do both of the following:
(A)Post the map for public comment on the internet website of the County of Merced.
(B)Conduct at least two public hearings to take place over a period of no fewer than 30 days.
(4)(A) The commission shall establish and make available to the public a calendar of all public hearings described in paragraphs (2) and (3). Hearings shall be scheduled at various times and days of the week to accommodate a variety of work schedules and to reach as large an audience as possible.
(B)Notwithstanding Section 54954.2 of the Government Code, the commission shall post the agenda

for the public hearings described in paragraphs (2) and (3) at least seven days before the hearings. The agenda for a meeting required by paragraph (3) shall include a copy of the draft map.

(5)(A) The commission shall arrange for the live translation of a hearing held pursuant to this chapter in an applicable language if a request for translation is made at least 72 hours before the hearing.
(B)For purposes of this paragraph, an “applicable language” means a language for which the number of residents of the County of Merced who are members of a language minority is greater than or equal to 3 percent of the total voting age residents of the county.
(6)The commission shall take steps to encourage county residents to participate in the redistricting public review process. These steps may

include:

(A)Providing information through media, social media, and public service announcements.
(B)Coordinating with community organizations.
(C)Posting information on the internet website of the County of Merced that explains the redistricting process and includes a notice of each public hearing and the procedures for testifying during a hearing or submitting written testimony directly to the commission.
(7)The board shall take all steps necessary to ensure that a complete and accurate computerized database is available for redistricting, and that procedures are in place to provide to the public ready access to redistricting data and computer software equivalent to what is available to the commission members.
(8)The board shall provide reasonable funding and staffing for the commission.
(9)All records of the commission relating to redistricting, and all data considered by the commission in drawing a draft map or the final map, are public records.
(c)(1) The commission shall adopt a redistricting plan adjusting the boundaries of the supervisorial districts and shall file the plan with the county elections official by the map adoption deadline set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 21140. The commission shall not release a draft map before the date set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (f) of Section 21160.
(2)The plan shall be subject to referendum in the same manner as ordinances.
(3)The commission shall issue, with the final map, a report that explains the basis on which the commission made its decisions in achieving compliance with the criteria described in subdivision (a).
§ 21559

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 730, Sec. 1. (AB 1441) Effective January 1, 2026.

A commission member shall be ineligible for a period of five years beginning from the date of appointment to hold elective public office at the federal, state, county, or city level in this state. A commission member shall be ineligible for a period of three years beginning from the date of appointment to hold appointive federal, state, or local public office, to serve as paid staff for, or as a paid consultant to, the Board of Equalization, United States Congress, the Legislature, or any individual legislator, or to register as a federal, state, or local lobbyist in this state.