Is There A Strong Legal Case For A Second Latino District In L.A. County?

Last night, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted down redistricting plans 4-1 that would have created a second Latino-majority supervisorial district, a plan supported by Latino civil rights advocates and Gloria Molina, the county’s sole Latina supervisor on a board of five.

The main argument for this plan has been that the county’s population is now close to 50 percent Latino, translating into a glaring lack of representation under the current arrangement. The redistricting backed by Molina, whose district is majority Latino, would have redrawn the lines to create another district with a majority of Latino voters. The board instead approved a plan that more or less maintains the status quo.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) has promised to sue under the federal Voting Rights Act, alleging the current boundaries violate its provisions. In order to win, a federal judge would have to decide that there is “racially polarized” voting taking place in the county and that the current boundaries illegally weaken the power of Latino voters.

It would not be the first time a federal judge has ruled this way regarding L.A. County’s supervisorial district boundaries.

For some background, visit KPCC’s Multi-American.