California AG Presses Los Angeles to Redraw Council Districts, Citing Latino Voting Concerns

As the elections fast approach, the topic of immigration has become central across the country, especially in states like California, which has the most adult naturalized citizens in the U.S. with 5.6 million people.

In recent weeks, bill favoring immigrants have resulted in all kinds of outcome, from a housing bill which was vetoed by governor Newsom to another one that would provide unemployment benefits to undocumented immigrants, which is currently awaiting a vote.

Amid these discussions, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has raised concerns about Latino voting representation in Los Angeles following a two-year investigation, urging the City Council to redraw district boundaries by 2026, the LA Times reports.

The move comes after the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) previously proposed a plan to redistrict Los Angeles in order to boost Latino voting power by increasing the number of council districts with a significant Latino voting population. The City Council, however, opted for a different approach at the time, largely maintaining existing boundaries.

Bonta's push for new district maps, however, could spark a legal battle if the council resists. His draft legal document suggests that council members should not consider their own political interests when approving new maps and, if a commission draws the map, the council could only reject it on legal grounds. One proposal reportedly discussed by Bonta's team includes creating an additional Latino-majority district in the San Fernando Valley, an area that has seen debates over representation in past redistricting efforts.

"Bonta launched the investigation in response to a secretly recorded conversation about the map-making process" the LA Times reports. "On that audio, which was punctuated by crude or racist remarks, Councilmember Kevin de León (who represents part of the Eastside) , two other council members and a high-level labor leader discussed strategies for changing the proposed district maps." The scandal prompted the resignation of City Council President Nury Martinez.

While Bonta has promised a thorough investigation, it remains unclear how the council will respond to the demand for new district maps.

Los Angeles is about 48% Latino,12% Asian, 9% Black and 28% white, according to the American Community Survey. One-third of council members are Latino, while one-fifth — or 3 out of 15 — are Black.