On February 28, Compton City Council members reached a settlement involving a 2010 suit filed by two Latinas, Felicitas Gonzalez and Flora Ruiz, who claimed Compton was violating the voting rights of its Latino citizens.
In Compton, a historically black city that has in recent times become predominately Latino, city council elections are at-large. While a solid majority of Comptonians are Latino, Latinos still only make up a minority of eligible voters, making it difficult for Latino candidates to win in the city’s at-large elections. (The city has never elected a Latino city council member.)
Finding that the city’s voting laws were legal, council members on decided to have the public vote on a change to the city’s electoral procedures on a June primary ballot. Voters will be asked if Compton should replace its at-large elections with district elections. Even if the ballot measure fails to pass in June, it will still appear again on the ballot in November.
Read more at the Los Angeles Times.
About Hector Luis Alamo, Jr.
Mario, I’m curious to learn your political recommendations for the Latino community. I hear a lot of criticism, but hardly a constructive word offered. Please grace us with a guest contribution in the weeks ahead.
The last thing African Americans, especially Democrat ones want is for Latinos to gain any political power. Doing so would severely limit their political machine because they see most Latinos as a threat. You always blame Republican whites for your problems but next time look at the allies you choose in your so called brothers and sisters. You will have a rude awakening. With friends like them, who needs enemies?
racist much?