SF redistricting panel adopts map critics call gerrymandered
A divided San Francisco Redistricting Task Force approved Thursday a new map for the city's 11 supervisorial districts that critics charged is a gerrymander of the city.
It brought to a close an eight-month process marred by racial divisions, bullying of meeting attendees, heated infighting amid the panel members, and repeated hoodwinking of transgender residents of the Tenderloin and Chinese residents of the Portola.The 5-4 vote to finalize a new political map for the city now moves the process to the courts and eventually the ballot box, as it will be used to elect the supervisors over the next decade starting with the even-numbered districts this November.
One lawsuit already filed against the task force for having missed its April 15 deadline to complete its work as mandated in the city charter is now likely to be dismissed during a hearing Friday due to a map having been approved.But the map is likely to be challenged in the courts.
Task force member Jose Maria (Chema) Hernández Gil, part of the minority that opposed the final map, predicted as much during the body's April 28 meeting."This is a map that gerrymanders our city," said Gil, decrying that it resulted from a "deeply flawed" process. "I assume there will be legal challenges."Among those upset with the work of the task force have been LGBTQ leaders, particularly in the Tenderloin and South of Market.
