CA Redistricting Commission Lacking Latino Voices
LOS ANGELES--The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) issued the following statement regarding the selection of the final six members of California’s new Redistricting Commission: “With only one Latino serving on the Commission so far (13%), California’s Latino population is significantly under-represented. Latinos are California’s second largest and fastest growing population group, and they comprise nearly four out of ten (37%) of the state’s population. The Commission cannot reflect California’s diversity without a significantly stronger Latino presence.” “California’s first eight Redistricting Commissioners are now undertaking one of their most important responsibilities – the selection of the final six members of the Commission that will determine the contours of California’s democracy for the next decade. Under Proposition 11, the ballot measure which created the Commission, the final members must be selected in a manner which ensures that the Commission reflects California’s diverse population. “With only one Latino serving on the Commission so far (13%), California’s Latino population is significantly under-represented. Latinos are California’s second largest and fastest growing population group, and they comprise nearly four out of ten (37%) of the state’s population. The Commission cannot reflect California’s diversity without a significantly stronger Latino presence. “We call on the initial eight Commissioners to fulfill their responsibilities under Proposition 11 by remedying the inadequate representation of Latinos. The Commissioners can only accomplish this by selecting the final six members in a manner which achieves strong Latino representation in the Commission’s final 14 members. Furthermore, the Commission is composed of three groups of members – Democrats, Republicans, and persons not affiliated with either major party. It is critical that there be a significant Latino presence in all three of these groups. “The selection of the final six Redistricting Commissioners offers the first eight an early and crucial opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to providing California’s diverse communities with a meaningful voice in the state’s redistricting process. We urge the Commissioners to embrace this opportunity and comply with the law by substantially increasing Latino representation on the Commission.” About NALEO The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) is the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials.
