Latinos needed to apply for redistricting commission

Modesto Bee
By Francisco “Frank” Alvarez
and Orson Aguilar??

In 2010 Latinos have a historic chance to shape our state’s future. All of us can play a part, and the time to act is now.

Taking advantage of this huge opportunity depends on all communities getting involved in a process that may seem obscure or even boring to lots of us: Legislative redistricting. But redistricting is a classic example of how something that seems technical and dull can affect each of us in a big way. If you care about jobs, schools, or your community you should care about redistricting.

Redistricting, the process of drawing legislative districts, happens every 10 years immediately following the census. Simply put, it determines what your community looks like on a political map, who represents you and how vigorously they do it.

In the past, the process has been controlled by legislative leaders in Sacramento and done with the interests of incumbents from both parties in mind. The result has been neighborhoods and communities carved up in order to put the right number of friendly voters in each legislator’s district. In effect, legislators have been choosing their voters instead of voters choosing their legislators.

This hurts everyone, but over the years it has disproportionately hurt Latinos and other communities of color. Since our vote can either be taken for granted or discounted by legislators, our issues have in many cases taken a back seat to fund-raising and other incumbent priorities.

This situation has led to a sense of disenfranchisement and apathy in regards to voting. While Latinos are 36 percent of California’s population, we only account for 17 percent of active voters.

Now we can end this nonsense. In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 11, taking redistricting out of the hands of legislators and handing it over to a new Citizens Redistricting Commission. Commissioners will be responsible for drawing state electoral districts and ensuring a transparent process. While community organizations remain cautiously optimistic about this new commission and the ability of ordinary Californians to decide our future, failure is a real possibility if Latinos don’t participate.

Currently, fewer than 1 in 10 of accepted applicants are Latino. It is feasible that when the commission begins its work in 2011 none of the commissioners will come from the 13 million-strong Latino community in our state. To work, the Citizens Redistricting Commission must truly represent the broad diversity of California, and without a strong Latino voice it will simply be another case of communities of color being on the table, not at the table of politics.

Alvarez is the commander of the American GI Forum of Modesto and a veteran of the Air Force. Aguilar is the executive director of the Greenlining Institute, a public policy and advocacy organization.