Democratic Club
by Mary Larson
LW contributor
Democratic Club leaders are continuing their efforts to help voters understand the implications of the proposed recall of three of the Los Alamitos School Board members. Voters are urged to refuse to sign petitions in support of putting this recall effort on their 2022 ballot. For more information about the possible recall, go to go to the club’s website at https:// sblwdems. wordpress. com. Voters are also encouraged to do their own research concerning this situation, As club leaders are concerned about misinformation currently circulating in LW.
••• Democratic Club leaders are also closely monitoring the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ efforts to redraw the shape of their districts. In a hearing that lasted more than two hours, the public recently had an opportunity to tell the supervisors which of eight proposed redistricting proposals they preferred.
As the meeting progressed, it became apparent that, as reported by Voice of OC, “a showdown is happening between two competing maps that will reshape the political landscape at the top of the powerful county government for Orange County’s 3.2 million residents.”
The dispute appears to be over which proposal dilutes which minority voters. Proposal 5 supporters said their plan would ensure Latino voters are not diluted in other districts. They also indicated that their support for Proposal 5 grew out of an outreach process to hear from residents about which neighborhoods they want to be included with. The majority of these speakers represented community organizations that had banded together as the People’s Redistricting Alliance.
An ACLU spokesperson for Proposal 5 said, “The board cannot draw the Latinx district, which is required [by the Voting Rights Act]…in such a way to limit Latinx influence in other districts to favor a political party or to discriminate against a political party.”
Proposal 2 supporters maintained it would have the strongest Asian-American district. They said it would also create a majority Latino district centered on Santa Ana and Anaheim.
There were no speakers in support of any of the remaining proposals. Before the meeting was over, the Board had eliminated consideration of all of the proposals except 2, 4 and 5.
The Board’s decision means that regardless of whatever proposal they finally adopt, Leisure World will no longer be represented by Democratic Supervisor Katrina Foley. Beginning in January 2023, LW’s representative will be Republican Board Chair Andrew Do (District 1), whose term in office does not end until 2025 or Democrat Doug Chaffee (District 4), if he is re-elected in 2022. None of the Supervisors has indicated publicly which proposal they prefer. However, two speakers in support of Proposal 2 thanked Do for his support of their position.
••• LW Democrats and supporters interested in receiving in-depth, up-to-date reporting on the issues can subscribe to the club’s free electronic newsletter by emailing democraticclubsblw@ gmail.com or calling editor Mary Larson at (562) 296-8521.
