Overview:

Every ten years, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC) redraws jurisdictional boundaries for Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts. As the applicant pool has narrowed to 60 individuals, this report urges state legislators and the Applicant Review Panel for the CCRC to recognize the persistent underrepresentation for Latinos throughout the CCRC application process and to consider bringing representational parity for California’s plurality population. With the continuation of the selection process, there is still an opportunity for the final 2020 CCRC Commissioners to ensure fairer representation and a stronger voice for Latinos in California through redistricting decisions that embrace California’s diversity and reflect population data. 

Key Findings:

• Latinos make up 39% of California’s population, yet constitute just 21% of applicants in the California Citizens Redistricting Commission’s remaining pool of 60 individuals. Compared to Whites, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and African Americans, Latinos are the only racial or ethnic group to remain underrepresented at every stage of the redistricting application process. 
• Major Southern California counties with large Latino populations, such as Orange and San Diego, are underrepresented in the redistricting pool. 
• California’s Latino rural counties are severely underrepresented in the redistricting pool. 
• The continued underrepresentation of California’s plurality population warrants the attention of the state legislature as it reviews the final 60 applicants for fair and accurate representation.