Judges Divided Over Redistricting Measure

[davidinalameda]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-redistricting6aug06,1,4782231.story?coll=la-news-politics-california

A panel of three state appeals court justices appeared divided Friday over whether to allow a ballot proposition that is a key element of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's agenda to remain on the Nov. 8 special election ballot.

With the printing of 12 million voter guides scheduled to begin Aug. 15, the 3rd District Court of Appeal is expected to rule by Tuesday. Any decision is likely to be appealed quickly to the state Supreme Court.

At stake is Proposition 77, which attempts to strip politics from the once-a-decade job of drawing legislative and congressional districts by giving the task to a panel of retired judges.