Commission Final Draft Maps Would Diminish Latino Opportunities in California's State Senate

Maps fail to provide full opportunities in Central Valley, but may chart course for progress at Assembly and Congressional levels

LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California's Latino community will face significant challenges with achieving fair representation in the State Senate and in the Central Valley according to an analysis (attached) conducted by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund of the final draft maps released today by the state's Citizens Redistricting Commission.  The analysis reveals that the draft Senate map reduces the number of districts where Latinos can effectively choose their elected leaders.  In addition, Latino communities in the San Fernando Valley and Orange County would be located in Senate districts with a weaker Latino presence than their current districts.

NALEO Educational Fund Executive Director Arturo Vargas stated, "The Latino populations of the San Fernando Valley and Orange County have grown significantly over the last decade.  Many Latinos in these areas are currently in State Senate districts where they have been gaining political power.  The Commission's draft maps will make it more difficult for their voices to be heard in the electoral process."  

In addition, the Commission's draft maps create only one district in the Central Valley at the State Assembly and Congressional levels where Latinos have an effective opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice.  Mr. Vargas continued, "We are disappointed that the Commission did not create an additional Latino effective district in the Assembly and the Congress in the Central Valley to ensure that their maps reflect the growth of the area's Latino community."

The Commission's draft maps would add two additional Latino effective districts in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and one each in the Imperial County/Riverside County and San Diego County areas at the Assembly level.  At the Congressional level, the draft maps would add Latino effective districts in the Imperial County/San Diego area and in the San Fernando Valley.  Mr. Vargas noted, "We are pleased the Commission looked carefully at the Los Angeles area, and listened to the community when developing its second set of maps.  The additional opportunities created in the Assembly and Congress will help Latinos elect leaders who will be responsive to their concerns."

Mr. Vargas concluded, "We believe that our voting rights attorney allies will be carefully examining the Commission's final maps to determine whether they comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), and whether litigation is warranted During the last decade, Latinos accounted for 90% of the state's growth, and nearly two of five Californians are Latinos. We believe the Commission did not completely embrace this unprecedented opportunity to ensure that the state's growing Latino population can achieve full and fair representation in California's democracy."

About NALEO Educational Fund

The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.

* Generally, districts with at least 50% Latino Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP) are classified as "Latino effective" districts.  In a few cases, we have categorized districts with 49% Latino CVAP as Latino effective districts because they are essentially performing as or are extremely likely to perform as Latino effective districts.

Source for district CVAP: For existing districts, analysis based on the U.S. Department of Justice's Special Tabulation of the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate Data (2005-2009).  For Commission final draft maps, Latino CVAP was taken from the districts on the Commission's interactive website as of 7/28/11.

Source for district CVAP: For existing districts, analysis based on the U.S. Department of Justice's Special Tabulation of the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate Data (2005-2009).  For Commission final draft maps, Latino CVAP was taken from the districts on the Commission's interactive website as of 7/28/11.

Source for district CVAP: For existing districts, analysis based on the U.S. Department of Justice's Special Tabulation of the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate Data (2005-2009).  For Commission final draft maps, Latino CVAP was taken from the districts on the Commission's interactive website as of 7/28/11.

SOURCE NALEO Educational Fund