California Proposition 20, Reapportionment Commission When Legislature Does Not Adopt Plans Initiative (1926)

California Proposition 20
Election date November 2, 1926
Topic Redistricting policy
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

California Proposition 20 was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in California on November 2, 1926. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported creating a reapportionment commission composed of the secretary of state, attorney general, and surveyor general to provide for reapportionment in cases where the legislature failed to do so in the first session following a census.

A “no” vote opposed creating a reapportionment commission composed of the secretary of state, attorney general, and surveyor general to provide for reapportionment in cases where the legislature failed to do so in the first session following a census.

Election results

California Proposition 20
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		319,456	39.32%
No		492,923	60.68%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 20 was as follows:

“

Reapportionment Commission.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Initiative measure adding Section 6 ½ to Article IV of Constitution. Creates reapportionment commission composed of Secretary of State, Attorney General and Surveyor General. If Legislature fails, at first session after each census, to adjust senatorial and assembly districts and reapportion representation as provided by Constitution, requires said commission to make such adjustment and reapportionment, and file same with Secretary of State, within three months after adjournment of such legislative session. Declares said commission shall make and file such reapportionment on basis of 1920 census within three months after this amendment takes effect.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Arguments

• Ralph Arnold, Executive Chairman of the All Parties Reapportionment Committee: "The constitution of the State of California makes it mandatory for the legislature to redistrict the state after each federal census. Since the census of 1920, the legislators, in three sessions of the legislature, have violated their oaths by refusing to redistrict as directed by the constitution. Such lack of action has worked great injustice in those communities within the state which grew rapidly in population between 1910 and 1920. ... The proposed amendment leaves with the legislature the constitutional duty of reapportionment and, in the event of failure on the part of the legislature to act, as it has failed since 1920, it creates a commission, composed of the secretary of state, attorney general and surveyor general, whose duty it shall be to reapportion the state—but only in case the legislature continues to refuse to act."

Opposition

Arguments

• C.C. Teague: "This proposed constitutional amendment would compel the reforming of state senatorial and assembly districts in such a way as to place the great centers of population, comprising but 3 per cent of the state’s area, in complete control of the state legislature, thus depriving the great rural sections of the state, comprising 97 per cent of the state’s area, of any effective voice in the state lawmaking body. It is sponsored by a group from Los Angeles city and placed on the ballot by initiative petition signed almost exclusively by citizens of Los Angeles, there being only a few signatures on the petition from one other county. The legislature of California has repeatedly refused to place the centers of population in complete control of the state lawmaking body, even though urged by constitutional provision and the insistent demand of political interests benefiting thereby."

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast at the preceding gubernatorial election. For initiated amendments filed in 1926, at least 77,263 valid signatures were required.

See also

1926 Measures

• 1926 Measures
• Redistricting policy on the ballot
• 1926 legislative sessions

California

• California ballot measures
• California ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• California Voter Guide (November 1926)