Rules Committee forwards three nominees for redistricting task force to full Board

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors—9 Rules Committee on June 23 voted to forward three nominees to the full Board for appointments to the city—9s Redistricting Task Force, the body charged with drawing supervisorial district boundaries after the 2010 census. The committee advanced Michael Alonso, Eric McDonnell and Jenny Lam with a positive committee report and no recorded opposition.

Chair Jane Kim, who presided over a session that drew 23 applicants, said the panel sought nominees who together would provide geographic, demographic and technical balance. "We want a breadth of perspectives and skills on the task force," Kim said during committee discussion.

During the two-hour hearing applicants emphasized a range of qualifications. Eric McDonnell, who described a career working with low-income families and community organizations, said the task force must produce a transparent process that protects communities of interest. "This process will determine how folks have voice," McDonnell told the committee.

Michael (Mike) Alonso, a Sunset District resident and security-guard professional, argued the commission should include civic-minded "laypeople" who understand day-to-day neighborhood concerns. Jenny Lam, director of community initiatives at Chinese for Affirmative Action, highlighted her outreach work during the 2010 census and argued for inclusive public engagement to ensure the task force hears hard-to-count communities.

Supervisors stressed several selection priorities: balance across East and West sides of the city, racial and ethnic representation, age and socioeconomic diversity, and technical knowledge about voting-rights law and mapping. Multiple speakers and public commentators urged the committee to include members familiar with District 6, which faces the largest population reduction under preliminary counts.

Public testimony was robust. Community members urged attention to technical expertise (maps and statistics), voting-history checks for candidates, and avoidance of conflicts of interest (recipients of city funding or registered lobbyists). The committee—9s final slate reflects both supervisors—9 attempts to balance these concerns and political tradeoffs among panel members.

The Rules Committee sent the three names to the full Board as a committee report with a positive recommendation. The Board of Supervisors will consider the appointments at an upcoming floor meeting.