The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has posted several maps on its Web site, under the heading of “meeting handouts.” The commission met yesterday and is meeting today; these “handouts” pertain to this series of meetings.

What these maps seem – seem – to indicate is that maybe the commission heard Humboldt County’s passionate cry for the integrity of coastal districts a little too clearly. For instance: What do you notice about this map, which represents theoretical Congressional districts:

Well, I gave it away in the headline. Under this scenario, if scenario it is, the slightly inland-dwelling Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) is stolen away from Humboldt County and wedded to the Central Valley. Instead, we would be ruled by Marinite Lynn Woolsey.

The commission’s official draft maps are due to be published June 10. Are these maps drafts of the draft? It’s not at all clear. A few moments ago, the LoCO talked to a spokesperson for the commission. It went something like this.

“What are these maps?” we asked.

“Those are not maps,” he said. “They are visualization tools.”

“They look like maps, though!”

“They are visualization tools.”

“What is their purpose, then? What are they supposed to help the commission visualize?”

At which moment the spokesperson said he’d call us back. The message was muddy, but it seems to boil down to: These are not the maps you are looking for. Which could actually be the case. And maybe he will call us back.

For what they are worth – again, who knows? – here are the maps from the same Citizen Redistricting Commission handouts for the local state senate and assembly districts. Coastiality preserved. We even get Del Norte back into our senate district.

Senate:

Assembly: