With all the hubbub of Romnesia and pundits climbing over themselves to assert which lackluster debater “won” the evening debate, it’s easy to forget about our own elections here in California.

This election is an important one – not just for Proposition 30, but for three reasons.

In the 2008 November election, California voters passed the “Voters First Act,” also known as Proposition 11, which allowed for the creation of a Citizens’ Redistricting Commission. The Commission, which is made up of 14 voters of different backgrounds and political views, would draw the lines for each electoral district after every census date. This way, the districts would fairly represent that area’s population rather than presenting a skewed designation based upon what a legislator wanted for his or her district in terms of political preference or socioeconomic status as an indicator of likely political preference – a process known as “gerrymandering.”

For those who don’t remember high school government class, the term gerrymandering comes from 1812 when Gov. Elbridge Gerry drew district lines so his party could gain more representation in the Massachusetts Senate. The lines looked – ostensibly – like a salamander, and another called it a gerrymander by adding the governor’s name to the mix.

California’s citizens have chosen who they want to vote for – the politicians have not chosen us.

This election is the first time Californians are not being forced into gerrymandered districts that exclude poorer areas or exist as a thin strip down the California coastline in order to gain all the wealthier voters. This reduces the number of safe seats (or seats with a guaranteed party incumbent) and throws more politicians towards the political center – they now have to work harder for your vote, and that is the way it should be.

Secondly, this is the first election where California will be instituting its open primary. What this means is any two politicians – regardless of whether they are from the two titanic powerhouse parties – can win. The top two vote-earners will be on this year’s ballot, and while it may be those two nominees come from the Democratic and Republican parties, there is also a chance they may not be.

This, again, pushes our politicians towards the center. In order to appeal to more numbers of voters, they have to modify their stances – extremism will only alienate voters, and push those voters who were on the edge further away from marking their names on the ballot. While we all know what a politician says during his or her campaign is no guarantee of what will happen once he or she is sworn into office, it still means our incumbents and the challengers have to work in order to convince you their plans are the best.

Finally, this year’s Proposition 28 changed term limits for all legislators in the state of California. Before Proposition 28’s June implementation, legislators were limited to 14 years in office that had to be split between the Senate and the Assembly. Now, politicians are limited to 12 years in office, but those years can be spent in either house – no more switching houses once a legislator reached a term limit in the other.

This change is the biggest voters have seen since they implemented term limits for the legislature 22 years ago in 1990 with the passage of Proposition 140.

This means the legislators – the people making the policy governing everyone in California – actually have a chance to become experts on subjects relevant to their committees. By staying in one spot, they have the ability to become trusted voices in their committees and on the floor about issues that are relevant to their constituents.

While this scene may seem ripe for stagnation, we believe this extended exposure will limit the policy pendulum swing California has seen in recent years. In times past, the influx and switcheroo of policy makers have left citizens in a lurch more often than not, and the switching of houses was confusing and disruptive, not only to legislators but to voters as well.

The policymakers you vote into office during this election will be in place for the next 12 years. Their decisions will affect you, your children and maybe your grandchildren. These legislators will be deciding not only tax policy, but student policy as well.

In college, we make decisions affecting the rest of our lives – don’t forget the ones on this November ballot.