Press Archive

WCVI and MALDEF Call on State Legislators to Reject
State Assembly, Senate and Congressional Redistricting Plans
Current redistricting plans dilute Latino vote
and violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act

Los Angeles, CA - In a letter released today, the William C. Velásquez Institute (WCVI) and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) asked state legislators to avoid any unnecessary legal challenges and election delays and reject the State Assembly, Senate and Congressional redistricting plans.

"The congressional redistricting plan has diluted the Latino vote in the San Fernando Valley by splitting it into two districts," stated Antonio González, President of the William C. Velásquez Institute. "MALDEF has provided legal, reasonable, rational alternative plans that give voice to the Latino community commensurate with their numbers, but the redistricting plans as proposed do exactly the opposite," declared Antonia Hernandez, President of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

WCVI and MALDEF maintain that despite the fact that Latino population of California represented 80 percent of the total population growth the current redistricting plans in the assembly, state senate and congress do not reflect those gains. The plans proposed by the Join Committee on Elections, Reapportionment, and constitutional Amendments, violate Section two of the Voting Rights Act by diluting the Latino vote specifically in the Los Angeles County and San Diego County areas.

MALDEF has expressed intention to challenge in court the current redistricting plans as proposed by the state, unless significant modifications to heavy Latino districts are made reflecting their population growth. Attached, please find a joint letter signed by Antonia Hernandez and Antonio González and addressed to state legislators urging their rejection of the State Assembly, Senate and Congressional redistricting plans.