Editor,
Supervisor David Canepa’s comment in the Dec. 3 article “Frustrations mount over redistricting” that the minimal change (aka Communities Together) map provides communities of color a greater voice than the Unity Map is not supported by the demographic data that accompany each map.
Two demographic measures are used to evaluate District Lines maps — Total Population and Citizen Voting Age Population or CVAP. CVAP is the best reflection of the voting power of each group as it represents the potential number of voters in any given election, those over 18 and US citizens.
Looking at CVAP, the Unity Map has two white majority districts — District 2 (63%) and District 3 (63%). District 4 is evenly split white/nonwhite and District 5 is majority Asian American (57%).
The minimal change map similarly has District 4 evenly split white/nonwhite and District 5 has the same 57% Asian American majority. The minimal change map also has the same two white majority districts — District 2 (52%) but in District 3 (72%) you see the “white supermajority” Supervisor Canepa mistakenly attributes to the Unity Map.
There are minor differences in the map supported by the supervisors from the current district boundaries, and from the boundaries before the move to district elections. Given that only two people of color have been on the board in the past 60 years and none in the past eight years, doesn’t that imply that maintaining similar district boundaries will not make the election of a person of color any more likely?
Diane Leeds
Emerald Hills
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(1) comment
Diane - based on the demographics that the Supervisors provided, the White population is actually in the minority in all of the new district boundaries. If no person of color steps forward or is is simply not qualified, don't blame a White representative for filling the need. Are you sure that a person of color is a better representative for the myriad communities within our County? The folks who have been on the Board have done remarkably well which has shown time and time again when they were reelected by the the voters at large. Diversity/equity at any cost?
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