Non-profit wants Kings County to draw two, Latino-majority board of supervisors districts
While the Kings County population decreased by just under 500 people in the last decade according to the 2020 Census, the ethnic makeup of the county changed significantly with the percentage of the Latino population ballooning from 51% to 56.8%.
And that is why the Central Valley county, one of 11 in California with a Latino majority, deserves to have two Latino-majority districts that would make it more possible for the board to represent the county’s demographics, according to the non-profit Valley Voices.
The county’s population went from 152,982 in 2010 to 152,486 in 2020 with the Latino population growing by 8,741 to 86,607 and the white non-Latino population decreasing by 9,518 to 44,361. The Black non-Latino population decreased by 2,000 people while the population identified themselves with two or more races grew by 1,717 or 3.3 percent.
“Given these changes in population, Valley Voices has conducted an analysis of Board of Supervisor Districts, excluding prisoner population, and has determined that it is possible to create two Latino majority districts: No. 2 and No. 4,” said Claire Fitiausi, during the public input hearing on the county’s 2021 redistricting.
Fitiausi spoke for Valley Voices, which has been engaging with the community in Kings County by collecting Community of Interest (COI) Surveys and hosting weeklyrRedistricting Zoom meetings.
While Fitiausi spoke virtually, a colleague hand-delivered paper copies of the non-profit’s proposed board of supervisors map the non-profit believes better reflects the county’s updated demographics.
Supervisor Richard Valle is the only Latino on the five-member board.
The board held its third public hearing on its redistricting efforts Tuesday morning (Aug. 31) in person at the board chambers as well as virtually through the WebEx teleconference and YouTube platforms.
Diane Freeman, deputy county counsel, said the materials presented at the hearing would be available at the county’s redistricting website redistrictkings.com. Beside the redistricting website, people can also participate by phone (559) 852-2445 or email redistricting@co.kings.ca.us or social media @redistrictKings on Instragram, Facebook and Twitter.
Every 10 years, county supervisorial districts must to be redrawn to ensure each supervisor represent approximately the same number of people.
As part of its 2021 redistricting process, Freeman said the county will hold five public hearings to engage the public, educate the public about the redistricting process as well as how individual and groups can participate. The county’s first public hearing was held on July 20, followed by a second on July 27.
“Kings County has historically disenfranchised Latinos. Now, according to the Voting Rights Act, Kings County will be required to create two Latino Majority Districts,” Fitiausi said. “The map we are presenting here follows the criteria established by the Voting Rights Act and the FAIR MAPS Act.”
Valley Voices’ map presented to the board Tuesday morning did not take into consideration the location of any of the current board of supervisors’ residences, but rather used indicators such as the residential clustering of groups of voters with common interests, the locations of municipal boundaries or physical geographic features and the desire to keep a district relatively close together.
Jeff Tilton, senior consultant with National Demographics Corporation, said the initials hearing are held prior to release of draft maps to educate and solicit community input.
According to Tilton, the draft maps are due Oct. 20 and will be posted online by Oct. 27. The first hearing to discuss and revise the draft maps is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 3 in the evening.
A second draft map hearing is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 7 for the board to discuss and select a map, with final map adoption tentatively set for Dec. 14.
“Ultimately, it is up to the board of supervisors to determine the actual lines of each district. We do know that if the law isn’t followed, there are interested parties willing to participate in litigation to make sure that everyone in Kings County is represented and the letter of the law is followed,” Fitiausi said. “The taxpayers of Kings County do not deserve to be subjected to millions of dollars in fines, similar to what happened in Kern County due to mistakes made by hired entities under contract with the County.
Fitiausi said the nonprofit looks forward to working together with the county in creating a fair and equitable map for the residents of the county.
Even though Latinos represent the majority of the population in Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera and Merced counties, there are only six Latinos serving on those boards.
Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 31 de agosto de 2021, 6:49 p. m..
