California voters set the stage for a major change in how state legislative districts are drawn when they approved Proposition 11 last November. The measure creates a commission to draw district boundaries, which used to be the Legislature's responsibility.

Districts for the state Board of Equalization are also affected.

Now, the state auditor's office is starting the process of setting up the commission. About two dozen people attended a meeting it called Thursday in Fresno, one of six such meetings around the state. Its purpose: To receive public comments on how applications for the commission should be taken and reviewed by a screening panel to find the most qualified among them.

"Our role is limited to formation of the commission," said Sharon Reilly, the auditor's chief legal counsel.

Eventually, the process is supposed to result in a pool of 60 qualified applicants, divided into Democrats, Republicans and other parties or independents. From those, eight names (three from each major party and two others) will be drawn to form the commission's core. Those eight members then select six others.

The commission is supposed to be in operation in time to draw new districts after the 2010 census.