Research
- Research Affiliate, Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College, 2001 – present
Past Employment
- Senior Analyst, National Demographics Corporation, 2001 – 2006
- Project Manager and Senior Manager at three internet startup companies, 1999 – 2001
- U.S. Representative Stephen Horn, Legislative Director and System Manager, 1993 – 1997
- Coro Foundation, Fellowship in Public Affairs, 1992 – 1993
- Rose Institute for State and Local Government, Student Manager, 1989 – 1992
Education
- Ph.D.: Claremont Graduate University, Political Science, 2015, Dissertation: “Independent Redistricting Commissions: Hopes and Lessons Learned.”
- MBA: UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, 1999
- BA: Claremont McKenna College, 1992
Graduated Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Claremont McKenna College, with the Philip Roland Prize for Excellence in Public Policy
- Quiet Revolution in California Local Government Gains Momentum, Rose Institute of State and Local Government White Paper on California Voting Rights Act, November 3, 2016.
- Visalia Times, “How to draw new city council districts,” September 19, 2014.
- Christian Science Monitor “Let the public help draw voting districts,” October 25, 2013.
- Redistricting in America. Rose Institute of State and Local Government, 2010.
- New York Times, “The Case for Open Primaries,” February 19, 2009.
- Los Angeles Times Opinion Articles:
- “A neighbor’s help on redistricting” June 24, 2007.
- “A Trojan horse primary for the GOP” February 25, 2007.
- “Where a porn palace stood” (article on redevelopment in Long Beach, California), July 30, 2006.
- Restoring the Competitive Edge: California’s Need for Redistricting Reform and the Likely Impact of Proposition 77. Rose Institute of State and Local Government, 2005.
- Competitive Districts in California, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, 2005.
- Fresno Bee Opinion Article: “The Poison Handshake” June 15, 2004.
- Latinos and Redistricting: “Californios For Fair Representation” and California Redistricting in the 1980s. Rose Institute of State and Local Government, 1991.
- Quoted hundreds of times in the newspaper, radio and television, including interviews on CNN, the Los Angeles PBS Affiliate, Fox, and in the 2010 documentary “Gerrymandering.”
- California School Board Association, Panelist: “Voter Districts: The Link Between Strong Community Engagement and a Successful Process,” November 30, 2018 (upcoming).
- California League of Cities, Mayors and Councilmembers Executive Forum, Moderator, “The California Voting Rights Act and the District-Drawing Process,” June 29, 2018.
- League of Women Voters of Burbank and Glendale, Keynote Speaker, “Town Hall meeting on SB415” (The California Voter Participation Rights Act), May 8, 2018.
- California League of Cities, City Attorney Department, panelist, “The California Voting Rights Act: Recent Legislation & Litigation Outcomes,” May 3, 2018.
- California League of Cities, City Clerk Department, keynote, “California Voting Rights Act – Transitioning From At‐Large To By‐District Elections: A Practical Guide For City Clerks,” April 19, 2018.
- California School Board Association, Panelist: “15 Years Later: The California Voting Rights Act & Lessons Learned,” December 1, 2017.
- California League of Cities, City Clerk Department, Panelist: “California Voting Rights Act: Putting the 2016 Legislation into Practice,” April 13, 2017.
- California League of Cities, Riverside County Chapter, presenter: “The California Voting Rights Act and Redistricting: The Demographer’s Perspective,” May 9, 2016.
- California League of Cities, Inland Empire Chapter, presenter: “The California Voting Rights Act and Redistricting: The Demographer’s Perspective,” April 14, 2016.
- California School Board Association, Panelist: “The California Voting Rights Act: What Board Members Must Know,” December 4, 2015.
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Redistricting and Elections Standing Committee: 2011 Winter Forum, “Citizen Voting Age Data from a line-drawer’s viewpoint.”
- Luncheon Keynote Speaker, Santa Barbara’s Channel Cities Club, “California’s next experiment: independent, public redistricting,” January 18, 2011.
- Annual Conference, Arizona League of Cities and Towns, Presenter at “Redistricting Law and the Voting Rights Act: What It Means for Your City or Town in 2011,” August 25, 2010.
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Redistricting and Elections Standing Committee: 2010 Spring Forum, “Communities of Interest in Redistricting: A key to drawing 2011 plans (and for their defense).”
- Arizona Election Law 2010 Continuing Legal Education Conference, “Communities of interest and technology in redistricting,” sponsored by the Arizona State Bar Association, March 2010
- Redistricting, The 2010 Census, and Your Budget, Sponsored by the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, California League of Cities, October 15, 2009.
- California’s New Independent Redistricting Commission, sponsored by the Irvine Foundation and the California Redistricting Collaborative, December 15, 2009
- Tribal Association of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN) Legislative Day 2009, “The 2010 Census and 2011 Redistricting in California,” December 2, 2009.
- California School Board Association, “Litigation Issues and the California Voting Rights Act,” December 4, 2009.
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Redistricting and Elections Standing Committee: 2009 Fall Forum, “The Key to Successful Redistricting.”
- California Latino School Boards Association, “Introduction to the California Voting Rights Act,” August 20, 2009.
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Redistricting and Elections Standing Committee: 2008 Spring Forum, “Communities of Interest In Redistricting: A Practical Guide.”
- Voices of Reform, a project of the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco: multiple forums on redistricting and / or term limits, 2006 – 2007
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Redistricting and Elections Standing Committee: 2007 Spring Forum, “The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission’s experiences with the first-ever independent redistricting.”
- “Building a National Reform Movement,” Salt Lake City, Utah, conference on redistricting reform hosted by the League of Women Voters, Campaign Legal Center, and The Council for Excellence in Government, 2006
- Texas Tech University, “A Symposium on Redistricting,” May, 2006
- California League of Cities, “Introduction to the California Voting Rights Act.”
- Classroom speaker at Pepperdine University, the University of La Verne, Pomona College, Claremont McKenna College, and Bellflower High School.
- City of Menlo Park Advisory Districting Commission, lead technical consultant, 2018
- Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, lead technical consultant, 2001-2008
- San Diego City Council Independent Redistricting Commission, lead technical consultant, 2011
- City of Surprise Advisory Commission on Redistricting, 2011
- Pasadena City Council Advisory Commission on Redistricting, co-lead technical consultant, 2011
- Pasadena Unified School Board Advisory Commission on Redistricting, co-lead technical consultant, 2011
- City of Modesto Independent Redistricting Commission, lead technical consultant, 2011
- City of Modesto Independent Districting Commission, lead technical consultant, 2008
- Initial as Senior Analyst and later as President, Dr. Johnson led NDC’s work on over 250 districting and redistricting projects across California, Nevada and Arizona between 2001 and today. Many are listed on NDC’s client list page.
- Expert witness declaration for the City of Redondo Beach, California, in City of Redondo Beach vs State of California, Los Angeles County Superior Court Case Case No. BS172218, litigation regarding the California Voter Participation Act (currently pending).
- Expert witness declaration for West Contra Costa Unified School District in Ruiz-Lozito vs West Contra Costa Unified School District litigation under the California Voting Rights Act, Contra Costa Superior Court Case Number C18-00570 (currently pending).
- Expert witness declaration, deposition and testimony for Kern County, California, in Luna v County of Kern litigation under the Federal Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration and testimony for North Carolina in Covington v State of North Carolina litigation under the Federal Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration for City of Fullerton in Jamarillo v City of Fullerton litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration for City of Whittier in Diego v City of Whittier litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration and deposition for plaintiff in Harris vs Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission litigation.
- Expert witness declaration and deposition for Santa Clarita Community College District in Solis v Santa Clarita Community College District litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration, deposition and testimony for City of Highland in Garrett v City of Highland litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
- Expert witness declaration, deposition and testimony for City of Palmdale in Jauregui et al vs City of Palmdale and Garrett v City of Highland litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
- Testified as 30(b)(6) “Most Knowledgeable” witness for Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in Arizona Minority Coalition v Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, including seven days of direct testimony and cross-examination in the state court case. Also testified in the related federal court case.
- Consulting expert for the following jurisdictions on their California Voting Rights Act-related cases, including preparing analysis and assisting with witness and attorney preparation:
- City of Anaheim
- City of Compton
- City of Modesto
- City of Poway
- City of Santa Clara
- City of Santa Clarita
- City of Whittier
- Santa Clarita Community College District
- Tulare Health Care District
- City of El Cajon: consulted on writing of charter revision and public education campaign for ballot measure changing from at-large to by-district City Council elections. (2016)
- Castaic Lake Water Agency and Newhall County Water District consultant advising on process, rules and legislation language for merger of the two districts including changing from at-large to by-district election system. (2015-2016)
- City of Corona: consultant for City Council on a potential city charter and a move to by-district elections. (2015-2016)
- City of Pasadena (on behalf of Pasadena Unified School District): advised commission that successfully developed a city charter change moving Pasadena Unified from at-large to by-district elections and created a redistricting commission. (2011 – 2012)
- City of Menifee: advised commission considering language on by-district elections. (2009 – 2010)
- City of Modesto: advised commission that successfully developed a city charter change moving Pasadena Unified from at-large to by-district elections and created an independent redistricting commission. (2006 – 2008)
- City of Goleta: consulted on development of ordinances and ballot language asking voters what election system they preferred. (2003 – 2004)
Extensive experience with all racial bloc voting statistical methods: homogeneous precinct analysis, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, Weighted OLS, Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) and EZI ecological inference analysis.
Attorney-client privilege bars the listing of most of NDC’s specific clients, but NDC has performed racial bloc voting analysis for clients of the following law firms: Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross & Leoni; Lozano, Smith; Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Dooley, Herr & Peltzer; Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost; Rutan & Tucker; among others.
