AB 1441 Is a Power Grab, Not Reform

By Gene D. Johnson

President, Merced County Republican Assembly

Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria’s AB 1441 is being promoted as a step toward fairness

and transparency in redistricting. In reality, it’s a partisan effort to consolidate Democratic

power in Merced County — under the guise of reform.

The bill would take redistricting authority away from our elected Board of Supervisors —

officials who are directly accountable to voters — and hand it over to a commission

composed of 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 “nonpartisan” members. But let’s be real: in

California, a significant share of “no party preference” (NPP) voters lean left of center. So

this commission wouldn’t be balanced — it would be skewed.

Worse, commissioners wouldn’t be chosen by Merced County residents. They’d be selected

through a process governed by the state, further distancing local voices from the decisions

that shape our political future.

Soria cites support from the League of Women Voters and local resident Rebecca Tucker.

While the League is officially nonpartisan, it has taken public policy positions on issues like

abortion, climate change, and voting laws — most of which align with Democratic priorities.

Ms. Tucker’s background is unknown, but she publicly supports Soria’s bill. That alone

warrants skepticism about her impartiality.

And let’s not forget: redistricting just happened after the 2020 census. There’s no urgent

crisis here. Why push this now — mid-cycle — unless the goal is political gain?

California is already a one-party state. We don’t need Sacramento importing that dynamic

into Merced County.

Let’s keep local control in local hands — and reject Sacramento-engineered power grabs.

Citations / Footnotes

1. AB 1441 Text – California Legislative Information:

2. PPIC Study (2022): “The majority of NPP voters lean Democratic.” Public Policy Institute

3. California Citizens Redistricting Commission: https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/

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