Who Really Represents California’s Coast?
Our California coast belongs to all of us, and so should its representation.
Our Coastal Voter Act Proposal
California’s coastline isn’t just a postcard backdrop — it’s the lifeblood of our state. From surfing in San Diego to shipping in Oakland, from tourism in Santa Cruz to fishing in Crescent City, the coast touches every Californian’s life. Yet here’s the problem: under our current congressional maps, most inland communities have **no real say in how the coast is managed. A handful of “coastal-only” districts decide policies that impact all of us, leaving millions of Californians without a voice.
This imbalance isn’t just a quirk of politics — it’s a matter of fairness. The California Coastal Act of 1976 makes it crystal clear: “the California coastal zone is a distinct and valuable natural resource of vital and enduring interest to all the people.” Not just the people who happen to own beachfront property. Not just the voters in narrow seaside districts. All Californians.
But our maps don’t live up to that principle. Coastal districts are drawn like thin strips hugging the ocean, effectively shutting inland voters out of coastal representation. Farmers in the Central Valley, small businesses in Riverside, students in Sacramento — all rely on a healthy, accessible coast, yet their voices are silenced when it comes to coastal policy.
Imagine if congressional districts were drawn differently — not as isolated ribbons along the shoreline, but as fair, latitude-based regions that connect the coast to the inland communities that depend on it. Every district would then carry a stake in protecting the coast, ensuring that policy decisions reflect the needs of the whole state, not just a privileged few.
With this approach, the intent of the Coastal Act would finally be honored. The coastline would be treated as the shared trust it was always meant to be — politically, environmentally, and socially. No community would monopolize representation, and every Californian would have a voice in the future of our coast.
It’s time to demand fairness in redistricting. The coast belongs to all of us, and so should its representation. By supporting a latitude-based redistricting supplement, we can make sure the spirit of the Coastal Act is reflected in our political maps.
Share this vision. Talk to your community leaders. Raise this issue with your representatives. The coast is our common inheritance — and it’s time our democracy recognized that.