Some residents warn redistricting could split many Latino El Modena neighborhoods in Orange – Orange County Register

With new census data in hand, Orange leaders have begun a decade-long process to adjust voting boundaries, but some residents fear the existing county represents the Ellipse neighborhood. Modena and communities west of Highway 55 could be split, possibly diluting the voice of Latino residents of the area.

With nearly 20 maps submitted before a public hearing last month, the City Council is currently focusing on four for further consideration. Only one of them proposes to keep the existing District 5 – which extends from South Tustin Avenue to Hewes Avenue – intact.

Sam Rodriguez, whose family has lived in historic El Modena for generations, calls the proposals to split District 5 “a power struggle,” saying the maps are “gerrymander, and they dilute it.” Latino vote.”

But city officials note that the council has not announced a vote on any particular map, and residents can still submit proposals until the end of the month for consideration.

From the cities upwards through Congress, the federal census has recently begun redistricting efforts needed to adjust boundaries to minimize population representation.

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Orange, along with many California cities, was challenged over how its representatives were selected. As a result of a large-scale voting system lawsuit, the city switched to a county-by-county process, where council members are selected by voters in their county, rather than all voters. tri across the city. The idea is that a smaller constituency gives minority communities an opportunity to gain representation and makes campaigning for councils a less expensive prospect.

With the new census data, the board is now considering adjustments to six districts have been established – the mayor is still chosen by all voters.

Rodriguez said he reached out to Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman after the council’s December meeting, concerned about the possibility that District 5 would be split up, losing its position in giving its voice. Latino community in city government. Shenkman, who city ​​lawsuit in 2019 through its large-scale voting system, sent a letter to the Orange city attorney last week, saying the three proposed maps to split the county would “dramatically reduce the proportion of Latinos.”

The three proposed maps, he said, would reduce the voting-age Latino population by nearly 30%. Leaving District 5, he said, would create a 59% Latino majority, 40% of whom are of voting age.

Shenkman stopped short of threatening the city with legal action in his letter, but he said recent elections have resulted in a Latina council member from the county, Ana Gutierrez, and he hopes Orange “will not attempt to reverse that process by diluting the Latino vote in this new round of redistricting. “

“Before the lawsuit, we would never have had the opportunity to operate a Latina or Latino from barrio,” says Rodriguez.

“The city played the game, because they wanted to stay in power,” said Rodriguez. “They think they can change the map here and there for the next election.”

Gutierrez noted that the city’s leaders have yet to vote on the final map, but said in a text message that she “will abide by the laws that govern this process” and hopes members Other council members did the same. Suffrage law prohibits dilution of the voice of a minority group, such as through the deliberate segregation of – or encapsulation – an area.

Mayor Mark Murphy said at least some existing county boundaries will likely change due to population growth in District 1 between the last census and now, which will need to be removed.

“Some of those people have to go somewhere, and it could affect all the counties, it could affect the majority of them,” he said. “I just don’t know yet.”

City spokesman Paul Sitkoff said a demographer was making some tweaks to maps selected by the City Council at its December meeting and officials were reluctant to comment on how counties have may work until they come back to look at it in February.

City officials have not yet responded to Shenkman’s letter, Sitkoff said.

He said, the submission time for people to submit more proposals is still open.

For residents concerned about the process, Murphy said “simply say stay engaged.”

“It’s very early to start analyzing things until we have everything in sight,” he said.

The deadline for residents to submit maps for review is January 28. Another public hearing will take place on February 8, and the City Council is expected to select the final counties in March.