August Mono County Democrats Updates
- monocountydemocrat
- Aug 25
- 11 min read
In this newsletter:
Fellow Mono County community members,
The biggest issue, and the one most people are interested in, is redistricting and the new maps. I don’t have all the answers, but I can tell you what I do know at this point, and will send further updates as I have them.
It is not hyperbole to say that democracy is threatened. Having the president push for mid-decade redistricting because he is afraid of what will happen if the Democrats retake the House (and, we hope, the Senate) is not only anti-democratic but authoritarian.
Deploying National Guard troops to the nation’s capital to bring down a crime wave that exists only in his imagination (and because the Doge guy “Big Balls” was beaten up while wandering the streets of DC at 3:00 AM – why????) is a step toward authoritarianism. Having the Smithsonian purge its exhibits of anything that does not meet his vision of America is authoritarian. Taking over the nation’s premier art venue, the Kennedy Center, and naming himself chair to ensure that only presentations that meet his standards is authoritarian. Etc. etc.
NOTE: I get especially agitated about DC because I lived in that City for many years and it is a City that I truly love, I have friends there, and go back at least three or four times a year for business, so it is personal as well as political. It’s just not right!
We need to fight to stop what the Republicans now in Congress are unwilling or unable to address. It truly is up to us to fight! As I said in my last newsletter, we, as Democrats, have to look out for, and protect that which is in the common good, and for the good of our country.
We can do that if we work together!
-Joyce Kaufman
Mono County Democratic Central Committee Chair
Chair: Joyce P. Kaufman (June Lake) jpkaufman70@gmail.com
Vice chair: Urs Willimann (Bridgeport) willimann.urs@gmail.com
Comptroller: OJ Zeleny (Mammoth Lakes) ojz@mac.com
Recording Secretary, Rosemarie Willimann (Bridgeport) rawillimann@yahoo.com
California Redistricting
History
These days, it can be difficult to know what is fact and what is fake news. In regard to the history of gerrymandering, we've seen comments from those in Kiley's comments arguing that Democrats have been gerrymandering for years, using this as a justification for what we're seeing in Texas. We've also heard that the Democrats had previously introduced legislation to fight gerrymandering, and that Republicans overwhelmingly voted against that legislation.
So...what is the real story?
Nationwide redistricting and gerrymandering
It is true that legislation was introduced to create more fairness in state districting across the country. According to politifact.com, "In 2021, the For the People Act was introduced which would have required that each state have a nonpartisan state agency to appoint two Republicans, two Democrats, and two from neither party to a commission that would decide how congressional district lines are drawn."
It is reported that all U.S. House Republicans, except for two who were absent, voted against the Act. Because the establishment of independent redistricting commissions was part of a large, 884-page bill, Republican claim that they opposed the bill for various reasons.
It is also true that both Democrat and Republican run states have participated in gerrymandering. However, according to The Brennan Center for Justice, "Both parties engaged in gerrymandering after the 2020 census, but, overall, the bias in this cycle’s maps strongly favors Republicans due primarily to aggressive gerrymandering in GOP strongholds in the South and Midwest. In total, the Brennan Center estimates that this gerrymandering will give Republicans an advantage of around 16 House seats in the 2024 race to control Congress compared to fair maps."
Redistricting that created our current California District 3
The history of California redistricting is important because it provides the context for what is going on now. Many of you were involved with the most recent redistricting effort which took place after the 2020 census. Before that, those of us here in Inyo and Mono Counties were in a district with San Bernardino and the Inland Empire, regions that have very little in common with our counties here in the Eastern Sierra. This was a district that our own Chris Bubser ran in, albeit unsuccessfully, and which gave us Jay Obernolte as our member of Congress.
When it was time to redistrict, those of us here in Mono County fought hard to get out of that district and to create one which better reflected our interests by grouping us with other counties on the Eastern side of the Sierra, a so-called “community of interest.”
Our argument was that we had many things in common with the counties to the north of us, as opposed to being grouped with San Bernardino or places on the Western side of the mountains with whom we had nothing in common, and we made a compelling argument. Many of you sent letters and/or spoke at the hearings of the California Redistricting Commission to make the case.
The Redistricting Commission is non-partisan; it was created in 2008 when California voters passed the “Voters First Act,” with the new district lines drawn in 2010. The Commission is made up of 14 members, 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 who are not affiliated with each major party. We prevailed and, hence, the creation of CD 3.
CD 3 is currently made up of all or part of 10 counties from Inyo in the south into parts of Plumas and Sierra Counties in the north. All Congressional districts must have about 760,000 people (total population), so to get the population, it also includes parts of El Dorado and Placer Counties, which are also heavily red.
Since 2022 we have been represented by Kevin Kiley, although going into 2026 there has been a concerted effort to flip the district from red to blue. The CD 3 Regional Organizing Council (ROC), which has been supported by the California State Democratic Party, under the leadership of Sue Hilderbrand, since the last election has been working to get ready for the 2026 mid-term election. Then came redistricting!
Why is California looking to redistrict now?
The next redistricting effort was not scheduled to occur until 2030 and the next census. However, Donald Trump pressured Texas to redraw their congressional map now, in order to try to protect or even increase his very slim majority in the House. Texas has complied and agreed to redraw their maps to create five seats that potentially favor Republicans. Their state does not require that this go to a vote of the people.
It is important to remember that there is no guarantee that all five Texas house seats will flip to Republican; two are in districts near the Texas-Mexico border with seats currently held by Democrats. The Republicans are making an assumption that the Latino vote, which went for Trump in 2024, will stay with the Republicans. Given the degree of opposition to Trump’s immigration policies, that is far from assured. But assuming that the five seats will become Republican, California is one of the few states that could redistrict to counter that power-grab.
That brings us to where we are now and what you need to know.
First, there is no guarantee that Trump’s pressure will stop with Texas. There are indications that he and his administration will pressure other states, such as Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, to do the same. Vice President Vance has already been to Indiana to start the pressure campaign.
Second, it is clear that Democrats need to take action. For too long, we have “played by the rules,” and we need to do everything we can to counter their actions.
Third, we know that Trump and his MAGA toadies will stop at nothing to amass and keep power.
Hence, that brings us to where we are today.
The process
Governor Newsom has taken the lead to counter the Trump power grab, and has chosen to do it in a way where the voters will have a say. So many people are calling out to Democrats to take action, and this is what action looks like.
It is unclear who actually drew the new proposed California redistricting maps. It is believed that the detailed maps have been prepared by the Assembly Committee on Elections and the Senate Committee on Elections. But neither leader of the committees would confirm that those committees were drawing the maps. It has also been reported that the maps were being drawn and submitted by Democrats who represent California in Congress and their consultants.
Although we are uncertain of who actually drew the maps, one member of the State Party said that the same criteria were used to draw these maps as those used by the Redistricting Commission. The criteria used by the Redistricting Commission include that:
the boundaries must be contiguous (ie/neighboring areas)
there should be a community of interest
the districts must conform to the Voting Rights Act
they need to have the same population
that there needs to be public input
Of the 52 Congressional districts in California, only 8 will remain unchanged. The borders of all the others will shift to strengthen the Democratic delegation by giving them five new seats. In order to do that, however, other districts will become more solidly red.
The maps were released publicly but, unlike what we're seeing in Texas, in California, the process must be approved by the State legislature. Last week and into the weekend, the state's assembly and senate approved three pieces of legislation that comprise the Election Rigging Response Act.
Now that the Act has been approved, the result will be a special election, which will be held on November 4, to pass a constitutional amendment to replace the state's existing congressional maps through 2030. Note that this change would be in effect only for 2026, 2028 and 2030. After 2030 and the next census, the process to redistrict would return to the Redistricting Commission.
A few important points here:
This Election Rigging Response Act was triggered by the change in Congressional districts in Texas which, in turn, was pushed by Trump. Newsom has made it clear that he would not have initiated this process without Texas making the move first. That was the trigger for California’s decision.
The process affirms California’s commitment to redistricting reform and to retaining the California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission after the 2030 census.
It is state policy to support the use of fair, non-partisan redistricting commissions nationwide.
Should Texas and other states retain their current maps, then California similarly, will not change its Congressional district maps.
If it is necessary to change districts, ultimately, the change will be up to the voters of California to approve
How does this affect Mono county?
The way the new Congressional district is drawn, and if the maps go into effect, those of us in Inyo and Mono Counties will be redistricted into CD 5, Tom McClintock’s district. The boundaries of the district would move so that the new CD 5, will go as far east as the Nevada border, and north stopping before South Lake Tahoe.
As the map is now drawn, the district would go from Republican +7 to Republican, +15, a significant gain meaning that the district will be solidly red. New CD 3 has been reconfigured to go further west into Sacramento and would become solidly Democratic (bye bye Kevin Kiley). So, we will be sacrificed for the greater good.
What happens now?
The state legislature, which is heavily Democratic, has voted to approve the process. The vote then moved to the leaders of the Democratic Party who also voted to endorse the process at the Executive Board meeting on Saturday, August 23. Next, now that the Act has been approved, ballots will drop October 6 and the special election will take place on November 4.
There has already been opposition to what California is doing within California, when the Republicans petitioned the State Supreme Court to stop the process on procedural grounds, but the Court rejected the petition.
Opposition is mounting. Opponents of the Election Rigging Response Act are raising money for publicity in opposition to the amendment.
Congressman Doug La Malfa, whose seat is targeted, has called it “An absolutely ridiculous gerrymander,” and CD 3’s Kevin Kiley, whose seat is also targeted in the new maps, has introduced legislation that would ban all mid-decade redistricting nation-wide. In a press release he said that his bill would “stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.”
What neither LaMalfa, nor Kiley, or any of the other Republicans who have raised objections to the plan has acknowledged is that the only reason that this California redistricting is happening is because of Trump and his obscene desire to gather as much power for himself and his MAGA agenda as possible. None of them objected to Trump’s pressure on Texas, nor to Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to LA, nor to the “Big Beautiful Bill” which will affect millions of Californians adversely. Nor are they screaming for the release of relief funds that Trump has held up after the fires in Pasadena and Altadena. Hypocrisy much?
What can you do to help?
If you are as incensed as I am by all this and want to do something to help, you can. Starting September 6, the State Party will be hosting phone banks across the state to make voters aware of what is going on, and why it is so important that we all get out and vote on behalf of the amendment and the new maps.
We strongly believe that gerrymandering should be made illegal across the country - and our ultimate goal will be to push towards that structure. However, in the short term, we must take action to fight the actions of those who are working to remove the freedoms set forth by our founding fathers and the American constitution.
If you are interested in learning more about this, or other things you can do, get in touch with me directly at jpkaufman70@gmail.com. There will be other actions you can take as we get closer. Stay tuned and I will keep you posted.
Mono County Events
September 1 Rallies in Mammoth and Bishop
The fight is on, and we need your help.
The next nationwide rally is scheduled for Monday, September 1, 2025. Local rallies will be held in Mammoth Lakes and Bishop. It may not feel like much, but, if you haven't been to a rally yet, you'll be surprised by what an incredible experience it is. There is strength in numbers, and that strength comes from knowing that we're not in this alone.
Stay tuned for additional information, but for now, mark your calendars and start making your signs!
Ways to get involved
Continued protests
With thanks to the energy provided by the young women who head up Coalition Mammoth, there have been a number of successful rallies here in Mammoth. Perhaps the largest was “No Kings,” which was part of a nationwide protest day on June 14, which is not only Flag Day but also Donald Trump's birthday. There were about 550 people in Mammoth, lining both sides of 203. It was impressive and an indicator of the amount of anger people have toward what is going on under this administration. There have been other rallies as well, and please check your e-mail and our Mono Dems social media pages, where we post these upcoming events.
Get involved with the California State Democratic Party (CADEM)
CADEM is rolling out a series of trainings for people who want to get more involved. This is the information to sign up for any of the trainings, which are free:
Sessions are online, free and open to anyone who shares our mission.
And this is just the beginning!
Tuesday, July 29th: Digital Organizing
Tuesday, August 26th: Rural Organizing
Tuesday, September 16th: Messaging to Swing Voters
Tuesday, October 21st: Using the New and Improved PDI
Tuesday, November 18th: Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement
Tuesday, December 16th: TBA
We’ll also be rolling out a full series of events in the months ahead, including town halls, phonebanks, canvasses, and house parties to build grassroots power across California.
Sign up here to stay updated on how you can be involved every step of the way.
Phone banking
CADEM is sponsoring phone banks that will reach out to newly registered Democrats in the four targeted districts. They will be held once a month on Thursdays from 6:00 – 7:30. In addition to our district, they are focused on flipping the seats currently held by Young Kim in Orange County, Ken Calvert in the Palm Springs area, and David Valadao, in the Central Valley. All of these are seen as flippable.
If you want to help, click here to join. Training is provided before calling.
There will be more opportunities to get involved as we get closer to the election.
Until then, most of our organizing here in CD 3 comes from the ROC, the Regional Organizing Council, headed by Sue Hilderbrand from the State Party. If you want to learn more about what you can do to help now, I urge you to check out the ROC Orientation, which is on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:00. You can register here.
Not only will this give you more information about the ROC and what we are doing, but it also has a number of ways you can get involved depending on your time and interests. If nothing else, it offers great insight into what is going on behind the scenes.