Application for Sara Sadhwani

Interview

Interview Length: 1:30:33 | Download Transcript

Initial Application

Below is the initial application for the Citizens Redistricting Commission. In this section of the application you will be asked to provide personal information that will assist the Applicant Review Panel in processing your application.

You do not have to complete the entire application at one time. At any point, you can save your application using the "Save Application" button. After the application has been saved, you can return to this site to complete the application using your email and password if you choose to set one. Be sure to submit your initial application on or before August 19, 2019.

All fields with * are required to submit the application.

Identification Information
Sara
Sadhwani
Physical Address
La Canada Flintridge
CA
91011
Los Angeles
Mailing Address (If different than Physical Address)

Gender

Gender*

Racial or Ethnic Background

Select the circle that best describes your race/ethnicity*
Latino Group
Pacific Islander Group
Asian Group
Other Groups
Biracial

The Voters FIRST Act is designed to produce a Citizens Redistricting Commission that is reasonably representative of the state's diversity. This information is required to help the Applicant Review Panel identify a diverse pool of the most qualified applicants. Although your specific date of birth will remain confidential, your age may be calculated from your date of birth and made public.

Economic Status

What was your total household income during the past 12 months?*

Eligibility Information

If you are uncertain about your prior voting registration, voting record, or party affiliation, we suggest that you contact the county clerk or voter registrar in the county in which you resided during the period of time in question. The contact information and address for California's county elections offices can be found at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/.

1. Have you been continuously registered to vote in the State of California since July 1, 2015?*

2. With what party are you registered?*

3. Has your political party affiliation remained the same since July 1, 2015?

4. Indicate in which of the last three statewide general elections you voted, (check all that apply)*:

Conflicts of Interest

The Voters FIRST Act (Act) is designed to produce a Citizens Redistricting Commission that is independent from legislative influence and, therefore, disqualifies from service any person having a conflict of interest as defined by the Act. The information below is required to help the State Auditor and the Applicant Review Panel identify any conflicts of interest you may have.

5. Have you done any of the following within 10 years of the date you submit this application:

5a. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office (Appointed means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization; or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization)?*

5b. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or of the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office?*

5c. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee in California?*

5d. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government?*

5e. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application been a registered federal lobbyist?*

5f. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as a paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff?*

5g. Have you within 10 years of the date you submit this application contributed $2,500 or more to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office within any single calendar year?(This amount has been adjusted using the California Consumer Price Index.)*

6. Are you currently serving as staff, or as a consultant to the Governor of California, a member of the California Legislature, a California member of Congress, or a member of the State Board of Equalization?*

7. Are you currently under contract with the Governor of California, a member of the California Legislature, a California member of Congress, or a member of the State Board of Equalization?*

When answering questions 8 and 9, immediate family means your parents, step-parents, spouse, registered domestic partner, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, and sons- and daughters-in-law with whom you have done the following:

8. Do you have an immediate family relationship with the Governor of California, a member of the California Legislature, a California member of Congress, or a member of the State Board of Equalization?*

9. Has a member of your immediate family done any of the following within 10 years of the date you submit this application:

9a. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office? (Appointed means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization)?*

9b. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or of the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office?*

9c. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee in California?*

9d. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government?*

9e. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application been a registered federal lobbyist?*

9f. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application served as a paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff?*

9g. Has a member of your immediate family within 10 years of the date you submit this application contributed $2,500 or more to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office within any single calendar year?(This amount has been adjusted using the California Consumer Price Index.)*

PRIVACY NOTIFICATION AND WAIVER

LEGAL AUTHORITY AND REASON FOR COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Voters FIRST Act (Act) and the regulations implementing the Act require that the selection of commissioners for the Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) be open to public scrutiny and the press (California Constitution, Article XXI, section 2, subdivision (c); Government Code sections 8252, 11120, 11121, and 11125.1; California Code of Regulations, title 2, sections 60835, 60836, 60842, and 60846). The Act also requires the California State Auditor's Office (State Auditor's Office) to select 60 of the most qualified applicants based upon their voter affiliation; eligibility to serve pursuant to Article XXI of the California Constitution; the absence of any conflicts of interest; relevant analytical skills; ability to be impartial; appreciation for California's diverse demographics and geography; and racial, ethnic, geographic, gender, and economic diversity. To determine each applicant's identity and qualifications to serve on the Commission and to track the demographic information of the applicant pool, this application seeks personal information about applicants that will be provided to the Applicant Review Panel, State Auditor's Office staff, and the public, including members of the press, the Legislature, and the Commission.

CONSEQUENCE OF NOT PROVIDING ALL REQUESTED INFORMATION

Failure to provide all of the requested information will result in your disqualification and the removal of your name from the applicant pool. Thus, if you wish to serve on the Commission, it is mandatory that you submit a response for each item of information requested.

PERMISSION TO USE AND RELEASE PERSONAL INFORMATION

By submitting this application, you acknowledge that the application, all documents submitted in support of your application, including a Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700) if you are asked to submit one, letters of recommendation, materials generated as a result of any State Auditor's Office or Applicant Review Panel investigation of you, and all public comments and responses to public comments about your application are public records. You agree that the State Auditor's Office shall provide copies of these materials to members of the public and the press, members and staff of the Applicant Review Panel, State Auditor's Office staff, the Legislature, the Commission, and as otherwise compelled by law. You understand that members of the Applicant Review Panel and the public may make public statements about you. You authorize the State Auditor's Office to use the information submitted by and about you as the State Auditor's Office deems necessary to select commissioners, replacement commissioners, or otherwise comply with its legal duties. You also authorize the State Auditor's Office to post all materials related to your application to serve on the Commission on its website and any website authorized by the State Auditor's Office.

VOLUNTARY WAIVER OF PRIVACY RIGHTS AND STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE LIABILITY

By applying to be a commissioner, you are waiving your privacy and other rights under various state and federal laws including, but not limited to, the Information Practices Act (Cal. Civil Code section 1798 et seq.), and any defamation, invasion of privacy, and negligence claim you may have against the State Auditor's Office and those acting on its behalf. Accordingly, by waiving your privacy rights, you are agreeing to permit the State Auditor's Office to release any and all information submitted by or about you, EXCEPT that the State Auditor's Office will not post on the Internet your date of birth; physical, mailing, and email addresses (excluding the city and county); telephone numbers; the addresses and telephone numbers of your immediate family members; or any materials that the State Auditor's Office deems offensive. At this point in the process, the State Auditor's Office will not collect, and you should not voluntarily submit to the State Auditor's Office, your social security number, driver's license number, financial account numbers, or health information. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and consent to the release of the information you and others are providing related to you and, except as specifically provided above, you are waiving your right to privacy regarding all information relating to you and your application to serve as a commissioner. This waiver authorizes the State Auditor's Office to make public information submitted by or about you for a period of 12 years from the date of your application, even if you are not selected as a commissioner. You are providing this waiver voluntarily, understanding that the State Auditor's Office shall not be legally liable as a result of the release of information submitted by or about you or as the result of comments made about you by others, and that the State Auditor's Office will post on its website or otherwise release publicly. This includes claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, and any other statutory or common law claims.

WHOM TO CONTACT

You have a right to review personal information the State Auditor's Office maintains about you and to verify its accuracy. Please contact the State Auditor's Office's Information Privacy Officer at (916) 445-0255; 621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200, Sacramento, California, 95814; if you would like to view or obtain information about the location of your records and the categories of persons who use the information in your records.

Affirmation

I affirm, by entering my initials in the box, that the statements contained in this application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that I have read and understand the Privacy Notification and Waiver.

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07/15/2019 10:14:17AM

Supplemental Application

Congratulations on moving forward to the supplemental application for the Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission). You must provide an answer to all questions that apply to you. If you miss a question, you will be prompted to answer missing responses before you can submit the application.

You do not have to complete the entire application at one time. At any point, you can save your application using the "Save Application" button. After the application has been saved, you can use your email address and password to return to this site to complete the application. Be sure to submit your supplemental application on or before October 20, 2019.

All fields with * are required to submit the application.

Part 1: Essay Questions:

The response to each of the following essay questions is limited to no more than 3200 characters including spaces (approximately 500 words). The response fields below will allow you to cut and paste text from any word processing program such as Microsoft Word.

I am applying to serve on the Citizens Redistricting Commission because I firmly believe that redistricting is key to ensuring public voice in democracy. Having voice in governance is an essential component of our democratic system. While there are many avenues for residents to make their voices heard, the concept of one person one vote is the hallmark of representative democracy in the United States. Unfortunately, the voices of underrepresented communities, are too often diluted and drowned out due to how district boundaries are drawn. In fact, recent research finds that participation of minority communities in elections decreases relative to the proportion of the community in a district (see Fraga 2016; Fraga 2018; and my own research currently under peer review). The CRC is a unique way of addressing these challenges to robust voter participation and I would be honored and excited to serve and advance its mission.

In most states, redistricting is left to the jurisdiction of state legislators, in which the majority party has the upper hand. In a recent report by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute that I co-authored, we identify the top ten gerrymandered state legislatures in the United States. We found that an astonishing number of Americans - more than 59 million - live under minority rule in a state where the party with fewer votes in the 2018 election controls the majority of seats. California was not a part of that list. The Citizens Redistricting Commission played an essential role in ensuring fair representation of all Californians by crafting district boundaries that met the needs of diverse communities.

I want to be a part of this process because I have a strong commitment to transparency and public involvement. As an advocate in the social justice community of California, I built a track record as a bridge builder working to bring communities across the state together. As a scholar, I have dedicated my career to researching the needs of historically underserved communities. To that end, my expertise lies in the analysis of census and voting data in California. I believe my extensive work with communities across the state, my analytic skills and training, and my deep commitment to upholding the values of representative democracy make me uniquely qualified for the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Impartiality may be the most important quality needed in a redistricting commissioner, and yet may be the most difficult to establish. Each person has a wide portfolio of identities that will influence their outlook. One's profession, family, socio-economic status, the community with whom one self-identifies all influence an individual's values and may lead others to assume they are unable to put aside their views and have an open mind. But to be impartial is to leave your pre-conceived notions at the door, to actively listen to others, and to make decisions that are fair to those impacted by them.

While much of my career has emphasized concerns for underserved communities, my husband and I are also small business owners, in which we have to consider both the rights of workers and the bottom line. To do so requires seeing beyond self-interest, including my own. More often than not, I've had to set aside my own personal views and deal with facts objectively and with an open mind.

As a professor of political science, I must practice impartiality every day. I work with a wide array of students of differing backgrounds, abilities and world views. As an educator, my goal is to ensure that students come away from my courses with a baseline level of conversant, factual knowledge about the substantive material and to impart a set of analytic skills intended to permit them to confront new academic and professional challenges encountered long after the course ends. To do this requires accepting students for who they are and the beliefs that they possess - not to spew my own views. For instance, in my courses we regularly discuss hot button political issues like same-sex bathrooms, abortion, second amendment rights, and immigration. Across the many institutions where I have taught, students have a wide range of personal opinions on these issues. My role requires impartiality and to instruct students in understanding the institutional opportunities and constraints for policy change regardless of its direction, as well as generalizable theories of human behavior while creating a classroom climate that safe for student exploration.

My intention in applying to serve as a Redistricting Commissioner is to serve all Californians for the good of our system of representational democracy.

California's vast diversity of cultures, viewpoints, opportunities and geography, is what leads millions to call the Golden State home. As a biracial American and the daughter of immigrants - an Indian father and an English mother - growing up in America's rustbelt I felt the isolation of never fully belonging - never being quite white; never being Indian enough. Through this experience, I have come to identify most with underrepresented communities, and that passion led me to become a part of California's diversity narrative and has fueled my professional and research pursuits.

During my years working in immigrant rights advocacy organizations, I worked to engage California's underrepresented communities in the democratic process. As a part of my work at both the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (previously the Asian Pacific American Legal Center) I organized large scale naturalization drives, prepared and mobilized immigrants to speak with their legislators, and built coalitions among communities across the state. As a part of this work, I engaged and built coalitions with the Cambodian refugee community in Long Beach, with African immigrants in Oakland, agricultural workers in the Central Valley, Muslim Americans in San Diego and many more. I had the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time working in the Inland Empire with organizations striving to build resource capacity and representation for warehouse workers and day laborers. Through this work I came to know and love the vast diversity of our state.

As a scholar of voting behavior and electoral institutions, I view my research as advancing the public's understanding of diversity in our state. In a publication in the California Journal of Politics and Policy, my coauthor and I examine the voting behavior of Latino Democrats in elections in which the top two open primary system has resulted in two Republicans on the general election ballot. In research published in the news outlet Vox, I examine the competition between two Asian American congressional candidates in the San Jose area - the nation's only Asian American majority district outside of Hawaii. I find distinct divergence between Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian voters in their preference of Asian American candidates of different national origin backgrounds. This work is furthered by several research projects that disaggregate Asian Americans by national origin subgroups to further examine political behavior outcomes such as registration, turnout and policy preferences.

Beyond a personal appreciation, the richness of California's diversity and the policy and participatory challenges of a changing demographic is my area of professional expertise. My work as a scholar and previously as an advocate have all emphasized the great diversity of our state.

My vocation as a researcher and professor of political science as well as my former work as a policy advocate for community-based organizations has allowed me to build and possess a tool kit of analytic skills that I could bring to the Redistricting Commission.

In my research, I analyze voter registration and vote returns using the California Statewide Database held at the UC Berkeley School of Law - the official redistricting database for the state. This is a powerful dataset that includes surname matching identification of Latino and Jewish voters along with the six largest Asian American national origin subgroups in the state. In addition, my work includes the analysis of census data, public opinion survey analysis, experimental data and nationwide vote returns. My training includes the use of various relevant statistical and analytic software such as STATA, R and ArcGIS. Furthermore, my research emphasizes how electoral institutions like the Voting Rights Act, California's top two primary and citizen redistricting influence voter participation and representation. In a 2018 article in the peer-reviewed journal PS: Political Science and Policy my co-author and I contend that how electoral institutions are designed - including how district lines are drawn - may create both constraints and opportunities for representational diversity. The article was profiled by the London School of Economics' United States Centre for Politics and Policy.

In my capacity as a professor at Cal Lutheran University in Ventura County, I teach courses on social science research methodology, introducing students to the fundamentals of research design and statistical procedures necessary for empirical research. Therefore, I would be well suited to not only use my knowledge in the assessment of district demographics, but also to assist other commissioners in building their own knowledge and understanding.

Finally, in my previous work in community-based organizations, I built a track record for being a bridge builder. For example, in 2011, in my position as the strategy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center, I worked closely with immigrant workers in the Inland Empire as well as with the California Chamber of Commerce to stop cities from mandating the use of the federal E-Verify program, which was fraught with errors that mis-identified workers and placed unnecessary burdens on small businesses.

My research and my track record of working within and between communities to build consensus is evidence that I have the requisite analytic skills necessary to serve on the commission. In addition, as a data scientist and instructor of research methodologies, I would be well poised to assist other commissioners throughout the process.

Part 2: General Information

Secondary Education
Did you graduate from high school?*
If not, do you possess a GED or equivalent?

University or College, Business, Correspondence, Trade, or Service School(s) Attended

Post-Secondary Education
University of Pittsburgh
Politics, Philosophy & Economics
Bachelor of Philosophy
4
2002
Post-Secondary Education
University of Pittsburgh - Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
International Development
Masters
2
2006
Post-Secondary Education
University of Southern California
Political Science
PhD
6
2019

Employment History

Employment History
05/01/2006
05/01/2007
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Federal Policy Coordinator
1 year

Assess and analyze national immigration reform legislation. Regularly conducted
legislative advocacy trainings for undocumented students and workers.

Employment History
05/01/2007
12/31/2010
Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Project Director
3 years, 7 months

Direct and lead a team of advocates focused on federal immigration reform, state and local health care and safety net issues, and language access concerns. Policy analysis, media relations and writing of policy briefs.

Employment History
01/01/2011
05/01/2012
California Immigrant Policy Center
Strategy Director
1 year 5 months

Development of Statewide network of immigrant rights organization. Policy advocacy.

Employment History
08/15/2013
08/15/2019
University of Southern California - Political Science Department
Teaching Assistant / Research Assistant / Doctoral Student
6 years

Doctoral Student

Employment History
07/01/18
06/30/19
Pomona College
Visiting Instructor
1 year

Political science professor. Taught courses on immigration, race and ethnicity and American politics.

Employment History
08/20/2019
present
California Lutheran University
Assistant Professor
2 months

Tenure track professorship with teaching and research responsibilities.

Activities

As a parent, I am active in my local community as a volunteer for Girls Scouts and Cub Scouts as well as numerous volunteer and fundraising efforts in our children's schools.

From 2012-2015 I served on the board of directors for the Liberty Hill Foundation, a Los Angeles based philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting social justice advocacy. Previously I served in voluntary capacities for the South Asian Network and on the board of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON).

My family and I support a number of non profit 501(c)3 organizations through financial contributions. Many of these are dedicated to the welfare and rights of children and immigrants. Some of these include: CHIRLA, the ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, All Saints Episcopal Church, Save the Children, KPCC Radio and the American Heart Association.

Former Names, Nicknames or Aliases

Have you used or been known by any other names, nicknames, or aliases since you became an adult?*

Sara Dadlani (maiden name)

Criminal History

Have you ever been convicted of a felony by any court?*

Voting Information

When you voted in any of the last three statewide general elections (i.e. the elections in November 2014, November 2016, and November 2018), did you vote using a different name or address than those you used on the initial application?*

Former Residences

List all of the places you have lived for 30 days or more at one time during the last 10 years (do not include information for where you lived prior to your 18th birthday). This does not include your current residence. If you lived in temporary housing while permanently residing somewhere else, note that with an * in the street address line:

Former Residence
Glendale
Los Angeles
02/2008
07/2016

Financial Contributions

List all of the monetary and non-monetary contributions valued at a total of $250 or more that you have made in any single calendar year during the past two years to any professional, social, political, volunteer, and/or community organization or cause. Begin with your most recent contribution:

Financial Contribution
n/a
CHIRLA
Los Angeles
500
Financial Contribution
annually
Save the Children
n/a
500
Financial Contribution
annually
La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation
La Canada Flintridge
3000
Financial Contribution
n/a
Liberty Hill Foundation
Los Angeles
1000
Financial Contribution
2017
ACLU SoCal
Los Angeles
1000
Financial Contribution
annually
All Saints Episcopal Church
Pasadena, CA
500

Part 3: Family Information

You must provide information about each living family member described in this paragraph. Information about each of your family members is necessary to determine whether you have a conflict of interest that would prohibit you from serving on the Citizens Redistricting Commission. In this part of the application, you must provide information about your living parents, spouse, registered domestic partner (RDP), children, siblings, parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, sons-and daughters-in-law. Step-parents, step-children, and step-siblings count as parents, children, and siblings.

Do you have any immediate family members as described?*
Family Member
Spouse/Registed Domestic Partner (RDP)
Dinesh Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Brother or Sister in-law: Sibling of Spouse/RDP
Gouri Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Brother or Sister in-law: Sibling of Spouse/RDP
Deepa Sadhwani-Monchak
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Child
Natasha Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Child
Devin Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Child
Ayla Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Parent
Hari & Jenett Dadlani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Sibling
Gul Dadlani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Sibling
Sheila Beurket
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Sibling
Nina Dadlani Shaw
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*
Family Member
Parent of Spouse/RDP
Prem & Jyoti Sadhwani
For this family member, you must state whether within the past 10 years this person has engaged in any of the activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest under the Voters FIRST Act. The following is a list of those activities:
  • Been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for a California congressional or state office. ("Appointed" means appointed by the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization, or served at the pleasure of the Governor, a member of the Legislature, or a member of the State Board of Equalization.)
  • Served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a California political party or the campaign committee of a candidate for a California congressional or elective state office.
  • Served as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee operating in California.
  • Been a lobbyist registered with the State of California or a California local government.
  • Been a registered federal lobbyist.
  • Served as paid California congressional, legislative, or State Board of Equalization staff.
  • Contributed $2,500 or more during a calendar year to any California congressional, state, or local candidate for elective public office.
Within the past 10 years, has the family member engaged in any of these activities that could cause you to have a conflict of interest?*

For each family member you must indicate whether you have a special (bona fide) relationship with that person. You have a special (bona fide) relationship with a family member if during the past 12 months you have (Guidance for determining Conflicts of Interest):

  1. Cohabitated with that person for a period or periods totaling 30 days or more.
  2. Shared with that person ownership of any real or personal property having a total value of $1,000 or more.
  3. Provided to or received from that person a financial benefit totaling $1,000 or more.
Do you have a special relationship with this person based on any of the three factors described?*

Other Relevant Material

Part 4: Letters of Recommendation

An applicant must submit, or arrange for the submission of, three letters of recommendation from individuals or organizations. A letter of recommendation may be no longer than three pages. Guidance for letters of recommendation. (Note: Any additional recommendations may be submitted as a public comment and public comments are considered by the Applicant Review Panel. However, a public comment submitted about you will not count as a letter of recommendation.)

An applicant's letters of recommendation must be submitted to the California State Auditor's Office (State Auditor's Office) on or before October 20, 2019. All three letters of recommendation must include your applicant identification number, which is 7164. This identification number is unique to your application and ensures that all of your letters of recommendation are correctly attached to your application file before they are reviewed by the Applicant Review Panel.

Online Submission of Letters of Recommendation

We have provided three links for you to provide to the individuals who will be submitting letters of recommendation on your behalf. Each link may be used for only one letter and will expire upon that letter's submission. Remember to communicate to the individuals writing your letters of recommendation that their letters must include your applicant identification number, as provided above.

Submission of Letters of Recommendation via E-mail, Facsimile, Mail, or Common Carrier

Online submission of letters of recommendation is preferred. You may also submit letters of recommendation via email to shapecaliforniasfuture@auditor.ca.gov, by facsimile to (888) 694-5288, or by U.S. Mail or other common carrier mailed to the address provided below. All letters of recommendation submitted via email, facsimile, U.S. Mail, or other common carrier must include both your application identification number (7164) and the letter of recommendation number (1, 2, or 3). Letters of recommendation sent to the State Auditor's Office that are not received or postmarked by October 20, 2019, will not be considered, and the applicant will not continue on in the application process.

The letters of recommendation must be addressed to the Applicant Review Panel and can be mailed to:

Applicant Review Panel
c/o California State Auditor's Office
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200
Sacramento, California, 95814

Part 5: Financial Disclosure Form

If likely to be selected for an interview, you will be required to submit FPPC Form 700, Statement of Economic Interests. The Fair Political Practices Commission's website has more information about the FPPC Form 700. You do not need to submit that form now. You will receive an email at a later date if you will be required to submit this form.

Part 6: PRIVACY NOTIFICATION AND WAIVER

LEGAL AUTHORITY AND REASON FOR COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Voters FIRST Act (Act) and the regulations implementing the Act require that the selection of commissioners for the Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) be open to public scrutiny and the press (California Constitution, Article XXI, section 2, subdivision (c); Government Code sections 8252, 11120, 11121, and 11125.1; California Code of Regulations, title 2, sections 60835, 60836, 60842, and 60846). The Act also requires the California State Auditor's Office (State Auditor's Office) to select 60 of the most qualified applicants based upon their voter affiliation; eligibility to serve pursuant to Article XXI of the California Constitution; the absence of any conflicts of interest; relevant analytical skills; ability to be impartial; appreciation for California's diverse demographics and geography; and racial, ethnic, geographic, gender, and economic diversity. To determine each applicant's identity and qualifications to serve on the Commission and to track the demographic information of the applicant pool, this application seeks personal information about applicants that will be provided to the Applicant Review Panel, State Auditor's Office staff, and the public, including members of the press, the Legislature, and the Commission.

CONSEQUENCE OF NOT PROVIDING ALL REQUESTED INFORMATION

Failure to provide all of the requested information will result in your disqualification and the removal of your name from the applicant pool. Thus, if you wish to serve on the Commission, it is mandatory that you submit a response for each item of information requested.

PERMISSION TO USE AND RELEASE PERSONAL INFORMATION

By submitting this application, you acknowledge that the application, all documents submitted in support of your application, including a Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700) if you are asked to submit one, letters of recommendation, materials generated as a result of any State Auditor's Office or Applicant Review Panel investigation of you, and all public comments and responses to public comments about your application are public records. You agree that the State Auditor's Office shall provide copies of these materials to members of the public and the press, members and staff of the Applicant Review Panel, State Auditor's Office staff, the Legislature, the Commission, and as otherwise compelled by law. You understand that members of the Applicant Review Panel and the public may make public statements about you. You authorize the State Auditor's Office to use the information submitted by and about you as the State Auditor's Office deems necessary to select commissioners, replacement commissioners, or otherwise comply with its legal duties. You also authorize the State Auditor's Office to post all materials related to your application to serve on the Commission on its website and any website authorized by the State Auditor's Office.

VOLUNTARY WAIVER OF PRIVACY RIGHTS AND STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE LIABILITY

By applying to be a commissioner, you are waiving your privacy and other rights under various state and federal laws including, but not limited to, the Information Practices Act (Cal. Civil Code section 1798 et seq.), and any defamation, invasion of privacy, and negligence claim you may have against the State Auditor's Office and those acting on its behalf. Accordingly, by waiving your privacy rights, you are agreeing to permit the State Auditor's Office to release any and all information submitted by or about you, EXCEPT that the State Auditor's Office will not post on the Internet your date of birth; physical, mailing, and email addresses (excluding the city and county); telephone numbers; the addresses and telephone numbers of your immediate family members; or any materials that the State Auditor's Office deems offensive. At this point in the process, the State Auditor's Office will not collect, and you should not voluntarily submit to the State Auditor's Office, your social security number, driver's license number, financial account numbers, or health information. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and consent to the release of the information you and others are providing related to you and, except as specifically provided above, you are waiving your right to privacy regarding all information relating to you and your application to serve as a commissioner. This waiver authorizes the State Auditor's Office to make public information submitted by or about you for a period of 12 years from the date of your application, even if you are not selected as a commissioner. You are providing this waiver voluntarily, understanding that the State Auditor's Office shall not be legally liable as a result of the release of information submitted by or about you or as the result of comments made about you by others, and that the State Auditor's Office will post on its website or otherwise release publicly. This includes claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, and any other statutory or common law claims.

WHOM TO CONTACT

You have a right to review personal information the State Auditor's Office maintains about you and to verify its accuracy. Please contact the State Auditor's Office's Information Privacy Officer at (916) 445-0255; 621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200, Sacramento, California, 95814; if you would like to view or obtain information about the location of your records and the categories of persons who use the information in your records.

Affirmation

I affirm, by entering my initials in the box, that the statements contained in this application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that I have read and understand the Privacy Notification and Waiver.

ss
10/11/2019 5:14:04AM

Amendments

Amendment 992

Submitted On: 02/13/2020

Reason:

Forgotten contribution to congressional candidate

Change:

Please include my contribution of $250 to Jay Chen for Congress in 2018

Letters of Recommendation

Letter of Recommendation #1, submitted by Angelica Salas

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Former Employer

Letter of Recommendation:

September 30, 2019
Applicant Review Panel
c/o California State Auditor's Office
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200
Sacramento California 95814

RE: Letter of Recommendation for Sara Sadhwani, Ph.D. (Applicant Identification #: 7164)
Dear Members of the Selection Committee:
I respectfully write to recommend Doctor Sara Sadhwani for appointment to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Professor Sadhwani is an excellent candidate who will bring significant skills, impartiality, and a keen awareness to ensure the representation of all California's residents on the commission, including those who are most vulnerable. I have professionally known Doctor Sadhwani for 13 years now; we initially met through my role as Executive Director at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). CHIRLA is a California leader with national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA organizes and serves individuals, institutions and coalitions to build power, transform public opinion, and change policies to achieve full human, civil and labor rights. Guided by power, love, and vision of our community, and embraces and drives progressive social change. CHIRLA's mission is to achieve a just society fully inclusive of immigrants.
Doctor Sadhwani joined CHIRLA as a staff member in 2006 where her skills were implemental in her role as Federal Policy Coordinator. This was during the time of the mass marches and mobilization in Los Angeles and across the country calling for immigration reform. Professor Sadhwani brought with her a deep skill base including significant analytic skills, a keen understanding of political strategy and an ability to engage with a diverse array of communities, colleagues and policymakers. Through her work at CHIRLA, Professor Sadhwani developed detailed knowledge of communities, and specifically immigrant communities across the state. She conducted outreach and advocacy trainings for CHIRLA's members, at the time many of them undocumented low-wage-workers, youth, and for faith communities. In this role, I observed her to be an active listener of the communities and allies CHIRLA worked with. During her tenure at CHIRLA, she was part of the Policy and Advocacy team where she demonstrated her aptitude for political analysis and public policy. Doctor Sadhwani demonstrated a well-developed ability to synthesize and communicate complex law and policy in way that made it accessible for broader public consumption - a skill set that will enhance her role as part of the commission set out to redraw the state's districts. Also during her tenure, she led CHIRLA's advocacy efforts on the national scale, collaborating with national policy experts to review and develop legislative proposals. When Professor Sadhwani moved on from CHIRLA, I continued to observe her work at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (formerly Asian Pacific American Legal Center), where she worked with communities across the state to mobilize a statewide network of Asian American advocates. I am confident that these observed experiences add to her knowledge of California's unique demographic attributes and the diverse communities who call California home, this I believe is an essential skill for the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Sara's return to academia is further evidence of her uncompromised level of excellence and her independence in thinking. She completed her doctorate in Political Science from the University of Southern California in 2019, and secured a tenure track position at California Lutheran University in Ventura County. Doctor Sadhwani's Research on Latino and Asian American voting patterns in California has been featured in The Washington Post, Vox and NPR-affiliate KCRW-Los Angeles; as well as academic peer-reviewed journals. In much of her research, Doctor Sadhwani employs empirical, statistical analysis of vote returns from California's Statewide Database - the official redistricting database of the state. Her expertise in working with this dataset and with statistical methods is an important asset to anyone on the commission afore mentioned.
Doctor Sara Sadhwani's has continuously demonstrated her commitment to the rights of all Californians, her expansive professional experience, the fairness she's demonstrated in her ability to look at diverse points of view, makes me confident that she would be an excellent commissioner, it is with all the afore mentioned that I enthusiastically reiterate my recommendation of Doctor Sara Sadhwani for appointment to the California Citizen Redistricting Commission.
Sincerely,

Angelica Salas
Executive Director

Letter of Recommendation #2, submitted by Fernando Romero

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Colleagues

Letter of Recommendation:

September 19, 2019

Applicant Review Panel
c/o California State Auditor's Office
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200
Sacramento California 95814

My name is Fernando Romero, I am the Executive Director for the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC), a leading immigrant rights organization based in Pomona, CA. The PEOC is a nonprofit organization with a grassroots advocacy model focused on facilitating services and education to low-wage, immigrant workers in the Inland Empire region of California.

I write this letter on behalf of Professor Sara Sadhwani (Applicant #: 7164) in her candidature for California's Redistricting Commission and would like to give my highest commendation in her pursuit of this endeavor.

I've known Prof. Sadhwani since 2011 when she worked as the strategy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), a statewide immigrant rights organization focused on immigration policy. During her time with CIPC, she was diligent in her policy and advocacy work to educate and engage deeply with marginalized communities, particularly in regions like the Inland Empire. In April 2012, we worked closely to prevent the implementation of a measure being proposed by the San Bernardino County supervisors, which our organizations deemed detrimental to the rights of immigrants. The county-wide initiative aimed at creating a color-identifying system for businesses that chose not to use E-Verify when hiring employees. The measure was voted down in large part due to Sara's educational outreach and foresight in understanding that it would disproportionally affect immigrant community members in the IE.

Over the years, I've had the pleasure to work alongside Prof. Sadhwani in other ventures and she has brought her skills and talents to each. During her tenure on the Board of Directors with Liberty Hill Foundation, she brought her critical analysis skills and knowledge of the unique demographics in Los Angeles County to the Foundation. Through her position on the Liberty Hill Board she worked closely with organizations like ours to provide vital resources to empower marginalized low-wage and immigrant communities across the County.

More recently, Sara completed her doctoral training at USC and she obtained a tenure-track position at Cal Lutheran University in Ventura County. In her previous role as a professor at Pomona College, we worked in tandem conducting on-campus presentations on various immigration policies affected by the participation, or lack of thereof, from communities of color and immigrant voting blocs. Prof. Sadhwani's analysis and research on voting blocs and voting patterns, particularly by identifying sub-sections of voters from the Asian Pacific Islander, Latino and other immigrant communities has been vital to organizations like ours seeking to address discrepancies in civic engagement and participation.

Prof. Sadhwani employs an unbiased approach to her research and empirical analysis in voter patterns and data. This has been true for all aspects of the times we have worked together. She has been a tremendous asset in various capacities including education, advocacy, policy and research. Her analytical research imbued by her commitment to the welfare and representation of all Californians, makes her an invaluable asset not only to us as residents of this state, but especially to the mission of the California Redistricting Commission.

For these reasons, I give my highest recommendation to Prof. Sara Sadhwani for the Citizens' Redistricting Commission.

Sincerely,

Fernando Romero
Executive Director
Pomona Economic Opportunity Center

Letter of Recommendation #3, submitted by Christian R. Grose, Professor of Political Science & Public Policy; Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Coauthor, dissertation mentor, collaborator

Letter of Recommendation:

Christian R. Grose September 16, 2019
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0044
[Redacted]

Dear Applicant Review Panel for the California Citizens Redistricting Commission:

I write to wholeheartedly endorse Sara Sadhwani for service as a member of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. I can think of no other Californian more suited for this position. Sadhwani is analytical; impartial; intelligent; has superb communication skills; can work well with others across the partisan and ideological spectrum; has a commanding knowledge of the state's people, diversity, and geography; has the cognitive skills required to draw maps and carefully consider multiple evaluative criteria in constructing those maps; and can understand data, analysis, and GIS or other mapping software.

I have known Sadhwani for about seven years. I am a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California. I know her as a collaborator on several analytical and impartial research projects, including one evaluating fair maps and the fairest distribution of votes-to-seats in legislative districting maps across the United States. I also served on her dissertation committee when she received her Ph.D., and I also worked with her directly as a colleague and coworker at the Institute at USC to which I am affiliated.

Sadhwani has excellent analytical and cognitive skills. She completed her Ph.D. in political science and international relations at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She is now a professor at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. She is a teacher and a researcher, and in both of these capacities, she demonstrates the analytical abilities to make an excellent California Redistricting Commissioner.

Her area of expertise includes an understanding of the federal Voting Rights Act and the California Voting Rights Act. In her analytical research, she has analyzed the people and demography of California, and she has conducted extensive research on the voting rights of Asian American, Latinx, and African American people. This expertise in voting rights in California in particular will be an important skill brought to the Commission. She understands the law that the Commission must follow, and can objectively analyze what districts may protect the rights of minority voters. She also has an in-depth and analytical ability to quantitatively assess how various districting plans may impact people of color and voting rights. Her dissertation studied voting rights in California, and her skills as an objective scholar directly translate to her ability to serve on the Commission and evaluate fairness in maps.

Sadhwani also has a strong skill set in understanding quantitative data and analysis. Given that the Commission will need to use quantitative data and mapping software, and have expertise in analyzing data and various maps and criteria for drawing maps, Sadhwani' s quantitative skill set will be extremely helpful to the Commission. Just as important, were she selected to serve as a Commissioner, she would also be able to communicate such data and quantitative analyses to a wide audience. Her cognitive skills are extremely high, and she has direct skills and capabilities in reading data, analyzing maps, analyzing data, and evaluating multiple criteria to create a redistricting plan. In most of her research, she uses statistical models to analyze data. This facility with statistics, as well as mapping, will serve her well on the Commission.

Sadhwani also is able to use fairness when making evaluations. As a Commissioner, she would do an excellent job of weighing multiple criteria, such as compactness, protecting communities of interest, protecting voting rights, equal population, and other relevant criteria. Because she has objectively studied this topic, she understands what criteria must be used to draw fair district lines. In her own research she has analyzed legislative districting maps across the United States, evaluating those that are the fairest districting plans and those that are some of the worst districting plans when it comes to fairness. She will bring this understanding of drawing fair maps to the table as a Commissioner. In fact, I think she will be a leader on the Commission, if she is chosen, given her unique ability to be able to objectively evaluate fair maps, analyze and understand statistics, and have the ability to draw maps using GIS software and other statistical or mapping software.

Sadhwani is also highly impartial, and can work well with a wide variety of people across the partisan and ideological spectrum. As already noted, she has conducted much research. However, this research is not opinion driven. It is objective and impartial, and simply analyzes and explains. She also teaches and is impartial in the classroom. Beyond that, she has worked in settings that require bipartisanship, compromise, and impartiality. While she is a registered Democrat and is applying for one of the five Democratic positions on the Commission, she has time and again demonstrated willingness to work with members of other parties. Even though Sadhwani is a registered Democrat, she has worked as a fellow at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute studying fair districting maps. The Institute is a nonpartisan center affiliated with USC, where Sadhwani received her Ph.D. In this capacity, she has worked at a center created by the state's last Republican governor, who also was one of the key supporters in the passage of the ballot proposition creating the CCRC. Her work there was impartial, bipartisan, and analytical.

She has also worked with independent voters, and took part in a seminar two years ago of scholars and no-party-preference voters where she analyzed diversity in the California electorate. Other attendees in the audience at the event included the nation's top scholars, students, policy practitioners, and no-party-preference voters who were interested in expanding voter access to the polls for NPP voters. This demonstrates her ability to work with no-party-preference voters. I mention these examples (and there are several others) to show that Sadhwani, while a registered Democrat, is able to be impartial and to work with others whether they are Democrats, Republicans, members of other parties, or hold no party preference. Given the composition of the committee will be five Democrats, five Republicans, and four other/NPP commissioners, Sadhwani' s demonstrated ability to work across partisan lines shows she will function well on such a commission with a diversity of people from different parties.

Her impartiality is not just about working with people from all parties, though. Her scholarship and published research objectively and impartially analyzes districting maps, demographics, and other data in California and beyond. Her research and teaching show she has the ability to be impartial. If you asked her students what her political party is, my guess is that none would know as she presents herself in the classroom as a rational expert. In today's polarized world, it is difficult to find such a person, but Sadhwani' s dogged impartiality when it comes to data analysis, research, and teaching suggest she will be extremely impartial in her work on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Sadhwani understands the people and diversity of California. She has lived in California for many years. She has worked with a wide variety of stakeholders that cover the vast diversity of the state. She has worked in the immigrant rights community on policy that affects a vast group of California's people. She has conducted research, including a nonpartisan and scholarly study funded by the Haynes Foundation called "Representation in a Multi-racial California" that analyzes the changing demography of the state. Finally, she herself is a woman of color, and will bring an important and diverse perspective to the Commission. She can work with any Californian, and she knows how to work with a diversity of people and stakeholders.

Finally, she is a skilled communicator. She is an excellent speaker, writer, and listener. As the Commission must hold hearings to seek input from the state's voters; and travel the state seeking such inputs, I am confident Sadhwani will do well in communicating and listening to citizens and stakeholders. She knows how to receive information and feedback from diverse voices across the partisan spectrum and incorporate it into the drawing of the fairest and most impartial maps possible. She is of extremely high character that is demonstrated in her work and interactions with others.

In sum, I highly recommend Sara Sadhwani to be one of the next California Citizens Redistricting Commissioners. I can think of no better citizen of California to serve in this capacity. She is truly perfect for this position, and possesses all the skills necessary for this incredibly important service to our state.

Sincerely,

Christian Grose
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute

Public Comments

Comment 836, submitted by Loren Collingwood

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Academic Colleague

Submitted On: 10/30/2019

Comment:

To Whom it May Concern:

I have known Dr. Sara Sadhwani for about six years when she interviewed for a Ph.D. position at UC Riverside. We have since regularly interacted throughout our professional networks and are presently working on a research project. I can therefore speak to her qualities and qualifications.

Dr. Sadhwani is an excellent researcher, teacher, and all around academic. She is fair, balanced, highly professional, and genuine. Her decision-making capacity is sharp and just and therefore would be an ideal candidate.

Dr. Sadhwani is currently an Assistant Professor at California Lutheran University and is set to become a leader in our academic discipline with a particular focus on understanding how shifting demographics and immigration is changing American Politics. This is an extremely vital area for researchers to get right, and there is no place better to study such developments than in California.

Beyond this, Dr. Sadhwani has also worked at CHIRLA, APALC and CIPC doing immigrant rights advocacy.

Sincerely,
Loren Collingwood

Comment 1364, submitted by Francisco Pedraza

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Through professional networks and conferences as academics

Submitted On: 11/05/2019

Comment:

To Whom it May Concern:
I am writing to urge the selection of Sara Sadhwani to the Redistricting Commission. I met Sara through our professional networks in Political Science. She is an expert in electoral politics in the United States and she would be an excellent Commissioner. In her research she focuses on the factors that encourage and discourage full participation in American politics, including the various rules and practices that hinder people from voting and from having their input fully included in our elections.

Sara consistently presents her independent, academic, and non-partisan research in a fair and unbiased way. She draws on a highly-sophisticated, social scientific skill-set that she developed in her PhD training at University of Southern California to analyze registration and voter turnout data. In fact, in her PhD dissertation, Sara used the California Redistricting Database so she is very familiar with the information that the Commission will be using to redraw boundaries in the next redistricting cycle. Perhaps one of the most valuable contributions from her research is the careful analysis of Latino and Asian American voting patterns. Her focus on racial/ethnic minority voting patterns positions her to fill major gaps in the literature about how Americans vote, and is especially relevant for understanding how institutions can be fairly developed in states like California, where the voting population is increasingly rich in diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, and language.

With respect to substantive knowledge of the law, Sara is also an expert in the laws and processes associated with redistricting, including the Voting Rights Act, the California Voting Rights Act, and propositions that ushered in the era of the Citizens Redistricting Commission. She has deep working knowledge of how the California state legislature works, as well as the history of representation from the state of California to the US Congress. Sara is also a resident of [ ] and has worked closely with non-profit organizations like the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), and the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC).

Sara boasts an incredible academic background. She pairs that knowledge with a track-record of donating her time and energy to non-profit organizations that advocate on behalf of the American voter. In combination, I strongly support Sara Sadhwani because these assets qualify her to be a well-informed and impartial Redistricting Commissioner.

Sincerely,

Comment 1440, submitted by Shane Goldsmith

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Colleague

Submitted On: 11/06/2019

Comment:

November 6, 2019
Applicant Review Panel
c/o California State Auditor's Office
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200
Sacramento, California 95814

To Whom It May Concern:
I am the President and CEO of the Liberty Hill Foundation, one of the nation's most admired social change organizations. In addition to my role at Liberty Hill, I serve as a member of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners and the co-chair of the California Executive Alliance for Boys and Men of Color SoCal Region. I am writing to recommend Sara Sadhwani (Applicant # 7164), to California's Redistricting Commission. Dr. Sadhwani is an accomplished scholar with expertise in California's electoral institutions and voting behavior and would bring tremendous analytic and leadership skills to the commission. The qualifications desired of the Commissioners could not better describe Sara.
I have known Sara for over seven years. We met when she served on the Board of Directors for the Liberty Hill Foundation. She is a conscientious and energetic professional who is passionate about the needs of California's diverse communities. She always brings a unique perspective, rooted in her personal and professional experience, and seeks to understand issues from multiple points of view. During her time working in advocacy organizations, Sara worked tirelessly to engage California's underrepresented communities in the democratic process - organizing large scale naturalization drives, preparing and mobilizing immigrants to speak with their legislators, and building coalitions between communities across the state.
Over the years, I have watched Sara's impressive career and transition from being a skilled public policy advocate to becoming a leading scholar on elections and voting in California. Her groundbreaking empirical research identifies distinctive voting patterns by disaggregating Asian American voters by national origin subgroups such as Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese and Korean American. As a professor, Sara prioritizes impartiality to create a classroom environment that open and engaging for all of her students. Her analytic ability and impartiality as a professor and educator would be a tremendous asset to the Redistricting Commission.
Dr. Sadhwani will make an outstanding contribution to the Citizens' Redistricting Commission. I recommend her without reservation.
Sincerely,
Shane Goldsmith

Comment 1597, submitted by Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Former Board Colleague

Submitted On: 11/08/2019

Comment:

I enthusiastically support Sara Sadhwani's candidacy for the Citizens Redistricting Commission. Sara and I served together on a major foundation board, and she received her PhD at the University of Southern California, where I am a Professor and Department Chair. In the almost 10 years that I have known Sara, she has served more than capably as an expert in voting patterns among Californians who are registered to vote. This is due to her leadership experience with civic organizations as well as her professional study of the topic and empirical research to the same effect.

As a fellow board member, I observed Sara in a number of contexts as we conducted oversight of foundation activities and in all situations found her to have strong ethical standards and full familiarity with both the letter and spirit of the laws we were obligated to respect. She took each responsibility of being a member of a working board seriously, and I have absolutely no doubt she would do the same as a member of the commission. She brought new communities to the foundation's activities and would have the opportunity to do the same service as a member of the commission.

It is without hesitation that I endorse her candidacy to serve as a member of this incredibly important commission. Her professional experience, academic expertise and research, and her strong ethics and integrity would all serve the commission's essential role well.

Comment 1619, submitted by Jennifer L. Merolla

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Met at academic conferences

Submitted On: 11/08/2019

Comment:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to strongly recommend Sara Sadhwani, PhD, to the Redistricting Commission. I first met Sara at an academic conference, and our paths have crossed a number of times at subsequent conferences. She currently serves as a tenure-track assistant professor at California Lutheran University. Over the years, I have been struck with the exceptionally high quality of her research, and deep, substantive knowledge of under-represented communities in California. She clearly embodies the qualities considered essential for commissioners. As an academic, she was trained to evaluate data and convey findings in an impartial way. She received a great deal of training in analyzing data at the University of Southern California, and specifically used data from the CA Redistricting Database in her dissertation. Furthermore, her areas of specialization are Asian American and Latino voting, so she has a robust understanding and appreciation for the diversity of the California population. Prior to pursuing a career as a professor, Sara worked at a number of organizations, such as CHIRLA, APALC, and CIPC, so she has experience actively engaging with diverse communities. In short, Sara Sadhwani would be a perfect fit for this important role. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Merolla
Professor of Political Science
University of California, Riverside

Comment 1678, submitted by Manuel Pastor

How Submitter Knows Applicant: I first met Sara in 2008 when she served as the director of the immigrant rights project at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. It was in this

Submitted On: 11/09/2019

Comment:

I am a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity and the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at the University of Southern California. I also serve as the director of both the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII).
I write to recommend Professor Sara Sadhwani (Applicant #: 7164), to California's Redistricting Commission. I first met Sara in 2008 when she served as the director of the immigrant rights project at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center. It was in this capacity where I first observed her analytic capability in public policy and leadership potential. As the strategy director at the California Immigrant Policy Center, Sara worked tirelessly to engage California's underrepresented communities in the democratic process by building a statewide network of community leaders concerned about the rights and needs of the state's most vulnerable communities.
Always an independent thinker, Sara came to the University of Southern California in 2013 to pursue a doctorate in political science. She was the recipient of a fellowship from the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration as well as a dissertation fellowship from the John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation for the study of Southern California. Her research on Latino and Asian American voting patterns in California has been featured in The Washington Post, Vox and NPR-affiliate KCRW-Los Angeles as well as academic peer-reviewed journals.
In much of her research, Sara employs empirical, statistical analysis of vote returns from California's Statewide Database - the official redistricting database of the state. Her expertise in working with this dataset, with statistical methods, and her deep knowledge of the diverse communities across California would be a major asset to the Commission. In her work as a post-doctoral fellow at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, Sara and her co-authors identified the top ten gerrymandered state legislatures in the state, demonstrating her keen awareness to the need for impartiality in drawing district boundaries.

I give Dr. Sadhwani my highest recommendation and believe she would make an outstanding contribution to the California Redistricting Commission.

Comment 1724, submitted by Lorrie Frasure Yokley

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Colleague

Submitted On: 11/09/2019

Comment:

Dear Members of the Applicant Review Panel:

I am an Associate Professor of Political Science and Department Vice Chair for Graduate Studies at UCLA. I am the author of an award winning book called Racial and Ethnic Politics in American Suburbs (Cambridge University Press). I write to recommend Dr. Sara Sadhwani to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. I had the opportunity to interact with Sara when she was working on her doctorate in political science at the University of Southern California. She stood out to me for her work in the examination of Asian American and Latino voting behavior in California. Her substantive experience and expertise in the study of California's diverse communities, her analytic skills as an empirical researcher and her impartiality as a social scientist would make her an excellent candidate for the Commission.

Sincerely,
Lorrie Frasure-Yokley, PhD

Comment 1770, submitted by Robert Garcia

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Professionally

Submitted On: 11/09/2019

Comment:

Dear Members of the Applicant Review Panel:

I am writing to recommend Professor Sara Sadhwani (Applicant #: 7164), to California's Redistricting Commission. I first met Sara since 2012 when she served as the Strategy Director for the California Immigrant Policy Center. At that time, she worked closely with local immigrant rights advocates in Long Beach to help build their capacity and provide support for their participation in statewide advocacy.

Since that time, Dr. Sadhwani has become an accomplished scholar with expertise in California's electoral institutions and California voters. Her empirical research, which identifies distinctive voting patterns by disaggregating Latino and Asian American voters by national origin subgroups such as Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese and Korean American, exemplifies her impartiality, her deep knowledge of the diversity of California's residents and her keen analytic skills. As Mayor of Long Beach, I am deeply concerned about equity for immigrant communities and believe that Dr. Sadhwani's experience would be invaluable to drawing fair and inclusive legislative lines.

I recommend Dr. Sadhwani without reservation and believe she would make an outstanding contribution to the Citizens' Redistricting Commission.

Sincerely,

Robert Garcia

Mayor of Long Beach

Comment 1771, submitted by Matthew Mendez Garcia

How Submitter Knows Applicant: From Graduate School

Submitted On: 11/09/2019

Comment:

Dear Members of the Applicant Review Panel:

It is with great pleasure that I write to recommend Prof. Sara Sadhwani to the Citizens Redistricting Commission. I have known Sara since 2013 when she came to the University of Southern California to pursue her doctorate in political science. At the time, I was nearing completion of my doctorate in the same program and Sara and I became good friends, colleagues and research collaborators. As a political science Ph.D. and tenure-track assistant professor with expertise in institutions and inclusion, I have firsthand knowledge of her analytical abilities.

Over the years, I have watched Sara build her empirical and analytic skills as well as the development of her teaching practice. Sara and I coauthored a study published in the peer-reviewed California Journal of Politics and Policy that considered the voting behavior of Latino voters under the constraint of California's Top Two Primary. In that project, Sara led the statistical assessment of voter data drawing from California's Statewide Database (the official redistricting database for the state) and utilizing ecological inference, the method mandated by the courts in cases pertaining to the Voting Rights Act. Her wealth of knowledge about California's electoral institutions, the Voting Rights Act, her experience with the redistricting database and her expertise in the heterogeneity of California's communities would all be excellent attributes to the CA Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Thank you for your consideration,
Matthew Mendez Garcia, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Cal State Channel Islands

Comment 1820, submitted by Victor Narro

How Submitter Knows Applicant: 17 years

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

I recommend Sara Sadhwani with the highest regards and enthusiasm because I have witnessed firsthand her tremendous qualities of mind and character that will enable her to succeed as a member of this commission. Sara exemplifies the qualities of a leader perfectly suited for this commission. She has a strong commitment to improving the lives of others, and I cannot think of a more qualified and deserving individual to recommend for this opportunity. Sara brings with her the depth of experience in building and sustaining effective partnerships and coalitions that make her extremely qualified for this position. I have known Sara for 17 years now, and I can attest without any doubt to her qualifications and attributes. She is a truly impressive and committed individual. Her many years of experience in the work for justice and with forging strong partnerships and coalitions will serve the Citizen Redistricting Commission greatly.

Comment 1913, submitted by Jane Junn

How Submitter Knows Applicant: professional colleague

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

Dear Members of the Applicant Review Panel:

It is with great pleasure that I write to recommend Prof. Sara Sadhwani to the Citizens Redistricting Commission. I have known Sara since 2013 when she first came to the University of Southern California to pursue her doctorate in political science. I served as Sara's dissertation chair and oversaw her graduate education and training.

To that end, I can attest to her sound empirical and analytical skills. Sara's dissertation examined the voting behavior of Latino and Asian American communities in California, using vote returns from California's Statewide Database - the official redistricting database for the state. Sara's project was awarded a dissertation fellowship from the John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation, the first doctoral student from the USC political science department to earn this distinction.

In addition, Sara and I have coauthored a study published in the peer-reviewed journal PS: Political Science and Politics that considered the ways in which California electoral institutions such as the top-two primary, term limits and the citizens redistricting commission may provide opportunities for the inclusion of diverse voices in our democratic process.

Thank you for your consideration,
Jane Junn, Ph.D.
USC Associates Chair in Social Science and Professor of Political Science and Gender Studies
Author of The Politics of Belonging: Race, Public Opinion and Immigration

Comment 1927, submitted by Eileen Ma

How Submitter Knows Applicant: colleague of community partner organization

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

I offer my enthusiastic endorsement of Sara Sadhwani's candidacy a California Redistricting Commissioner. I am a long-time advocate and public interest attorney with experience working at local, state and national levels, with particular expertise in the area of voting rights and election administration. I have known Ms. Sadhwani for many years, having met when she was working at California Immigrant Policy Center ("CIPC") while I was leading an advocacy organization dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer ("LGBTQ") communities. Our organizations shared the priority of advancing fairness for immigrant communities in California. Based on my knowledge of her work and my professional experience with her in the community, I can attest that Ms. Sadhwani exemplifies the criteria required of these commissioners. In her work as staff of CIPC, she demonstrated her commitment and appreciation for the diversity of the population of our state, including its multi-ethnic and multi-racial immigrant community. She understood the importance of education and advocacy throughout the state to build a shared vision for fair and just policies in our communities. I especially appreciated her intentional efforts to make sure that our LGBTQ organization felt welcome and included in their work. Ms. Sadhwani is also highly qualified to be a commissioner because she has superlative analytical skills. As a scholar, her work includes study of demographics, voting histories, and election results in order to provide greater understanding of our civic engagement in our communities. As a professor, she teaches research methodologies, data analysis and other skills. As a commissioner, she will certainly contribute well to the rigorous deliberative processes required of the commission to draw CA's districts. Ms. Sadhwani also has demonstrated an ability to be impartial--in part because her role as a social scientist and academic require her to bring objectivity to her work. While she holds her own views with conviction, she also shows appreciation for a diversity of opinions and understands the importance of hearing and evaluating all views with an open mind and in a dispassionate way.

I believe our state would be well-served by the selection of Sara Sadhwani as one of our redistricting commissioners. She possesses the right blend of community advocacy experience, professional know-how, and personal character and ethics that will help our commission succeed in its goal of drawing fair and functional lines for our elections for years to come.

Thank you for your consideration. --Eileen Ma

Comment 1963, submitted by Caitlin Patler

How Submitter Knows Applicant: former co-workers, now professional colleagues

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

To Whom it May Concern:
I am writing to urge the selection of Professor Sara Sadhwani to the Redistricting Commission. I have known Professor Sadhwani since 2005 when we both worked at CHIRLA and I believe that she would be an excellent Commissioner. She is exceedingly qualified to represent Californians in a fair and informed way. Her experience with Asian and Latino civic engagement, state policy issues, and within the academic community have prepared her to serve in this capacity. Through her extensive work with CHIRLA, CIPC, and APALC, and her PhD in Political Science from USC, she has become deeply knowledgeable about redistricting and legislative representation in the state of California and elsewhere. I strongly support Professor Sara Sadhwani as Redistricting Commissioner.

Comment 1984, submitted by Karin Wang

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Former supervisor and colleague

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

Dear Applicant Review Panel of the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission:

I enthusiastically recommend Dr. Sara Sadhwani for the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission. Having worked for more than two decades in civil rights advocacy and enforcement, including working closely with leading voting rights and redistricting advocates in California, I know how important the Commission's work is and I have no doubt that Sara would be a knowledgeable and fair Commissioner.

For 15 years, I served as the Vice-President of Programs and Communications at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (previously known as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center) and during that time, I had the pleasure of hiring and supervising Sara as the director of the organization's immigrant rights project. In my many years in the Los Angeles civil rights and social justice community, I have had the opportunity to work with many creative and driven advocates. Sara stands out for her analytic abilities, her passion for fairness and equity, and her commitment to the state's many diverse communities.

At APALC, Sara led a team of advocates that analyzed immigration reform and other key policies impacting low-income Californians such as access to health care and safety net services. She wrote policy briefs, fact sheets, and press releases aimed at educating both law makers and the public. She worked in complex coalitions and with challenging personalities and organizations, but she always collaborated and worked well with others. Sara also led her team in expanding its reach into diverse Asian American communities, such as the most vulnerable segments (Cambodians in Long Beach, Vietnamese in Orange County, and South Asian seniors). After APALC, Sara earned a doctorate in political science from USC, honing her analytic and empirical skills. I have followed with interest and pride Sara's new career focused on researching Latinx and Asian American voting patterns, building on her years of work with immigrant communities. I'm proud that her work has garnered attention in both academic peer-reviewed journals and national mainstream media such as The Washington Post, Vox, and KCRW-LA.

I believe Sara embodies the characteristics needed in a Commissioner: strong analytical skills, a sense of fairness, and a deep understanding of California's diverse communities. I recommend her without reservation and I believe our state will benefit from her thoughtful participation as a member of the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Sincerely,
Karin Wang, Esq.
[Title for identification purposes only]
Executive Director
David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law
UCLA School of Law

Comment 1993, submitted by Nisha Vyas

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Personally

Submitted On: 11/10/2019

Comment:

I am writing to support the selection of Sara Sadhwani to the 2020 Cititzens Redistricting Commission.

I am the Directing Attorney of the Homelessness Prevention Law Project at Public Counsel, the largest pro bono law firm in the country. I have been working in the Los Angeles legal services community for 16 years, and have close relationships with community-based organizations in the region, through which I came to know Sara.

Sara and I have known each other for at least 10 years, and I believe she would be an excellent Commissioner. She is a professor who specializes in American politics, including research and analysis of voting behavior, elections, public opinion, public policy, and interest groups, with an emphasis on the representation of racial, ethnic and immigrant communities. She is therefore deeply knowledgeable about the California electorate and legislative representation, and she will be invaluable asset to the Commission.

Comment 2034, submitted by Ahilan Arulanantham

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Professionally

Submitted On: 11/11/2019

Comment:

I worked with Sara on various policy-related issues in the immgrants' rights field for several years during her time at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, the then-Asian Pacific American Legal Center (now Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles), and the California Immigrant Policy Center. I observed that Sara had developed a deep knowledge of immigrants' rights issues in our state, and that she exercised consistently good judgment in her advocacy efforts. I am sure her knowledge has only deepened during the years she has spent since that time in obtaining her doctorate and now serving as a professor. Sara would be a valuable addition to the redistricting commission.

Comment 2097, submitted by David Ryu

How Submitter Knows Applicant: Personal Friend and former coworker

Submitted On: 11/11/2019

Comment:

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing to you today to urge the selection of Sara Sadhwani to the State of CA Redistricting Commission. I have known Sara for over 15 years- first meeting in our respective nonprofit and government roles serving the community.

Sara would be an excellent unbiased, culturally competent and knowledgeable (in government, politics, ethnic communities, and voting rights) Commissioner. As you know, in addition to her PhD in political science (specializing in Asian American and Latino voting) she has had extensive knowledge and hands on experience working in various ethnic communities through organizations like CHIRLA, APALC and CIPC.

But even before her work teaching and writing on political science and voting rights at Cal Lutheran- I had the opportunity to work with Sara on local redistricting, voter registration and voting rights in our various nonprofit capacities. She always had an interest and passion for social justice. Now more than ever, with her additional experience and training, she will bring several unique perspectives as a minority, woman, political scientist, researcher, teacher and voting rights specialist/advocate.

Thank you for your time, and again I strongly urge you to consider Sara Sadhwani as Redistrict Commissioner.

David E. Ryu
Councilmember, District 4
City of Los Angeles

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