The non-partisan redistricting referendum has helped Democrats in California. As long as incumbents of either party control, they look out for their own self-interest not that of their political party. So when California non-partisans drew the districts Democrats got super majorities in the state legislature, real progress on the long term budget nightmare and three or four more Dem-leaning seats in congress.
Worked well in Arizona too, had the repugs been able to draw the districts we would have wound up with no more than two or three. Check it out. We now have five Dems and four repugs in the Arizona delegation.
In Missouri we lost a third seat in the eight member congressional delegation when enough African-American state legislators went along with the repugs plan to override Dem Governor Nixon's veto. The repug plan packed even more dem votes into the already safe St. Louis and Kansas City seats of Congressmen Clay and Cleaver.
If we had non-partisan redistricting in every state, Nancy Pelosi would be the speaker. Look at Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas. Only in Illinois has it helped us much.
Non-partisan redistricting ought to be a core platform issue for National Democrats.