State Legislature
California's State Legislature stepped up when Federal policies failed to pass any meaningful legislation, if at all, against gerrymandering. California instituted an independent commission to draw district lines in an effort to avoid partisanship and the appearance of unfair election practices. Also, as we read in the chapter California "performed poorly in the early 2000's, mired in a period of bitter partisanship and gridlock."(134) Perhaps this state is trying to redeem itself partially because at the state and federal levels there is always going to be a degree of partisanship, but if a state legislature is going to delegate some of its power to prevent partisanship from acting as a roadblock to the democratic process, then I think that it is doing its job of being a representative. After all a state legislature is a body of leaders that are elected, and called on to represent the values of their constituents and the state as a whole.