Many advocates celebrated the vote Monday afternoon, saying it was a seismic shift that could help Latinos elect candidates who can advocate for issues crucial to their communities.
In a historic vote, the Orange County Board of Supervisors on Monday created a majority-Latino district for the first time while also giving power to Asian voters.
The map keeps Costa Mesa in the same district as its neighbor, Newport Beach. Another map under consideration had separated the two cities with deep ties, including a shared school district, prompting allegations of gerrymandering to shut out Democrats. Gomez called the creation of a Latino-majority district “a huge victory” for the county. But she also alleges that the southern section of the county was gerrymandered in a way that reduces the influence of Democratic voters.This could open up Orange County to a legal challenge, Gomez said. She declined to say whether the ACLU was considering filing a lawsuit.
Advocates say the two Latino-heavy districts may spur more political involvement and higher voter turnout from Latinos across the county. Orange County hasn’t been majority white in nearly 20 years and has become increasingly politically diverse.
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