2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Hires Daniel Claypool as Executive Director

First full-time hire of the newly formed 14-member nonpartisan redistricting Commission

Sacramento Calif. (October 5, 2020) – Today the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) announced that Daniel Claypool has been hired as the Commission’s Executive Director. The announcement was made at the Commission’s October 5^th Public Meeting and marks the Commission’s first full-time hire.

“The Commission received a talented pool of candidates eager to serve as the 2020 Commission’s Executive Director,” said Commission rotating Chair Isra Ahmad, who held the Chair position when the hire was made. “As a group, we took great care in considering all of the highly qualified applicants in the pool, and we did not take the decision lightly. We are excited to make this first step in building out our team to support our work moving forward.”

Claypool brings deep experience in redistricting including his role with the California State Auditor’s Office (formerly known as the Bureau of State Audits) where he assisted in the transition of the Voters FIRST Act, following its passage in 2008, to an administrative process and then served as the project manager for the selection of the 2010 Citizens Redistricting Commission.  Claypool then went on to serve as the 2010 Commission’s Executive Director.

“I am honored to have been selected by the 2020 Commission to serve as its Executive Director,” said Claypool. “The next year is going to be an exciting but demanding time for the Commissioners who are tasked with large-scale outreach, safe public meetings, data analysis, map drawing, and much more. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to oversee the Commission’s operations and keep them running smoothly so that commissioners can focus on doing the important work of redrawing California’s district lines.”

The Commission is set to fill at least two more positions over the next several weeks, including Legal Counsel and a Communications Director. Applications for those open job listings closed on September 30, 2020, and the candidates will be reviewed at upcoming closed session meetings of the 2020 Commission. Information about upcoming meetings and news related to other Commission activities is available at wedrawthelines.ca.gov.

About the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission

Every ten years, after the federal census, California must re-establish the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts to reflect new population data and shifting populations. The Voters FIRST Act gave this power to California citizens ensuring that new and fair political boundaries are drawn without special interests, politics and political influence.

As was done ten years ago, a new independent redistricting commission made up of 14 citizens—five Democrats, five Republicans, and four that are not affiliated with either of the largest parties—is responsible for drawing the new district lines. The 14-member 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission is fully formed.

As required by law, the first eight members of the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission were randomly selected on July 2, 2020 from a list of remaining applicants delivered by the Legislature on June 26, 2020. These first eight members chose the final six members from the applicants that remained in the applicant pool and formed the complete Commission on August 7, 2020. For the latest information on the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission, visit wedrawthelines.ca.gov.

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