In a previous post, I raised the issue of how Voting Rights Act considerations can be a two-edged sword, figuratively speaking. It was enacted in the 1960s to address a long history of suppressing the voice of minority voters by way of redistricting. On the flip side, it can be overdone to pack so many covered voters into so few districts that, in Arizona for example, the GOP supermajority in the state legislature is guaranteed for another decade.
A new story in the Los Angeles Times explores this concern as the Obama administration's Dept. of Justice prepares to review, for preclearance, redistricting plans for several states.
Because the growth of the Latino voting age population has grown dramatically in Arizona, this is a major consideration for the AIRC.
I expect to explore the issue further and hope to interview key stakeholders in the very near future. So, stay tuned!
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