New Congressional Districts Sought

Activists may begin collecting signatures to overturn the redistricting plan for the state's congressional districts, City News Service reported Friday evening.

Backers of the referendum need valid signatures equalling 5 percent of the total votes cast in the 2010 gubernatorial election—or 504,760 signatures total—by Nov. 13 to qualify it for the ballot, according to the secretary of state's office.

If the referendum qualifies, the redistricting plan approved in August by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission would not go into effect for the 2012 election; the Supreme Court would draw new lines.

The Citizens Redistricting Commission, a group consisting of five Republicans, five Democrats and four decline-to-state voters, has defended the redistricting plan, which places Redondo Beach in the 33rd Congressional District. The area is currently represented by Rep. Janice Hahn in the 36th Congressional District.

Nevertheless, Commissioner Michael Ward, a Republican, , calling the 33rd Congressional District a "ribbon of shame" that stretches from Malibu to Rancho Palos Verdes.

This is the second challenge to the new district maps drawn by the redistricting commission. A group known as Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting is collecting signatures for a .

City News Service contributed to this report.