Dear Readers,

I am writing to express my opposition to the multi-member Congressional district proposal, which I believe would be inefficient. Instead, I propose that we significantly increase the number of legislative districts while decreasing their population size. This change would ensure that each representative serves a smaller population, providing more proportional representation.

Smaller districts would allow for better representation across the entire political spectrum, including for Republicans, Democrats, and third parties. While this expansion might require a larger legislative chamber, the priority must be ensuring that representatives can maintain direct contact with their constituents.

Currently, California’s legislative districts are among the largest in the nation. The 40 State Senate districts each represent nearly 1 million people, while the 80 State Assembly districts represent approximately 475,000 to 495,000 residents. When a district exceeds 50,000 or 100,000 people, representatives are spread too thin. This creates a reliance on large corporations and high-dollar donors to cover astronomical campaign costs. By reducing district sizes, we can make campaigns more affordable and ensure representatives remain accountable to the public rather than special interests.

True proportional representation is essential to ensure that both the California Senate and State Assembly remain accessible and effective.

Best regards,

Alan Parkman,
Redding, California