National Latino Redistricting Roundup

We at News Taco have been doing our best to keep you informed of redistricting battles affecting Latino population areas (really redistricting affects all Latinos everywhere, but that’s a pretty tall order…) So we thought today would be a good day to do a little roundup of these redistricting battles across the country.

• Pennsylvania: Philadelphia’s Latino population grew by 60,000 to 12.3% of the city’s population, but only one of 26 house seats are filled by a latino. Latino leaders are trying to make one city council district and two state house districts Latino districts.
• Nevada: A Latino has never been elected to the U.S. House, there are two Latinos in the state senate, eight in the assembly and the first Latino governor was just elected last fall. Democrats are proposing 12 assembly districts with a 30% Latino population while Republicans are proposing eight districts with 50% or more Latinos.
• Colorado: Republicans are trying to keep the districts mostly the same, Democrats are trying to create “competitive” districts with more-or-less equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
• Nebraska: Democratic (Latino) voting power is to be diminished.
• Texas: A plan recently passed by the state house dilutes the power of Latino voters the state senate is set to create their own redistricting plan in the near future. State Rep. Joaquín Castro tells News Taco, “Delegations should look like their constituency.  The redistricting bill that passed the house does not reflect the current population growth in our state. Ultimately, the districts will probably be decided by the courts.”
• California: The California Citizens Redistricting Commission is holding meetings across the state. For more info click here.
• Arizona: The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is a non-partisan entity that draws the maps; a meeting today discussed what docs would be used to make that happen.
• Florida: The drawing of the maps is set for this summer, but millions are being set aside to fight potential lawsuits over them already.
• New York: The battle is on.
• New Mexico: The legislature will deal with it in the summer.

Hey, I know I didn’t get everything and some of you out there may have hot tips, if so, feel free to post comments or email us at tips@newstaco.com.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD