Congressional redistricting referendum cleared for signature-gathering

Opponents of new congressional district maps recently drawn by a citizens commission may begin a petition drive for a referendum effort to overturn the maps, the secretary of state's office announced Friday.

Proponents of the referendum, led by Republicans who feel the maps unfairly put their party at a disadvantage in coming elections, now have less than 90 days in which to collect the 504,760 registered voter signatures required to put the matter on the June 2012 ballot.

Earlier, another group of Republicans began collecting signatures for a referendum to overturn the California Citizens Redistricting Commission's set of state Senate maps.

--Jean Merl