Redistricting 2011: California Latinos Face New Opportunities and Old Challenges

Abstract

THE CALIFORNIA Journal of Politics & Policy Commentary Redistricting 2011: California Latinos Face New Opportunities and Old Challenges Arturo Vargas* National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials On August 15, 2011, California completed an historic redistricting of its congressional and state lines. For the first time, an independent commission, the California Ci- tizens Redistricting Commission, drew the maps for Con- gress, the state legislature, and the Board of Equalization. Many groups promoting the civic participation of Latinos and other underrepresented Californians, including the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, opposed the ballot Copyright © 2011 The Berkeley Electronic Press. All rights reserved. www.bepress.com/cjpp Volume 3, Issue 3 , 2011 measures that created the commission and gave it respon- sibility for all statewide maps (Propositions 11 and 20). The groups were extremely concerned that poorly drafted sections of Proposition 11 would create obstacles for the political progress of their communities and efforts to gain fair representation. The NALEO Educational Fund and others closely mo- nitored the implementation of Proposition 11 at every pha- se, helping to draft regulations to ameliorate some of the flaws, conducting exhaustive outreach to encourage Lati- nos to apply for the commission, and mobilizing commu- nity members to participate in the commission’s hearings. After eight months of meetings and public hearings throughout the state, the posting of draft maps and “vi- sualizations,” the commission approved plans that enhan- ce opportunities for Latinos in some parts of the state and significantly impair Latino progress in other areas. The *Arturo Vargas is executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.