From the Stockton Record
About 300 Californians remain from the 30,000 who answered the call to join a citizens’ panel to take over the job of drawing the borders of the districts making up the political landscape of the state.
Six of the remaining applicants live in San Joaquin County. Some of them are surprised they made it this far, and all five reached by The Record say they realize they have a long way to go if they are going to be one of the 14 members of the first Citizens Redistricting Commission, authorized when voters approved Proposition 11, the Voters First Act, in 2008.
It’s been challenging, dynamic and interesting to be a part of the process so far, said Joan Matthews of Tracy. She was a trustee when San Joaquin Delta College redrew its district lines, and she’s been reading up in case she does go the distance. “I’m curious to how things work. I like to see things operate. … I would look forward to the challenge,” said Matthews, 74 and an owner of the Tracy Press.