The release of legal documents from California Attorney General Rob Bonta who is seeking to overturn the 2021 redistricting results and redraw the city of Los Angeles is creating a stir.
The Korean-American community’s desire for a single district in Koreatown was fulfilled at the time, and the future impact of Bonta’s request is also in the spotlight as the area he pointed out borders Koreatown.
On October 2, the Los Angeles Times reported that “Attorney General Rob Bonta is pressing political leaders to sign a legal settlement that would force the city to draw new boundaries for LA’s 15 voting districts.”
The draft legal document, titled “Proposed Stipulated Judgment,” reviewed by the LA Times, calls for new district maps to be finalized in time for the 2026 primary election. It would also prohibit council members from considering their political circumstances when approving the redrawn map.
It said Bonta’s legal team has raised concerns with the council in recent weeks that the map approved in 2021 does not adequately represent the Latinx community in some areas. Bonta’s office singled out two districts in East LA as problem areas, according to the source. One is District 1 (Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez), which borders Koreatown, and the other is District 14 (Councilmember Kevin de Leon). Previously, Koreatown was divided into parts in Districts 1, 4, 10, and 13, before being incorporated into District 10 in the 2021 redistricting.
Bonta noted that there are not enough Latinx voters in these two districts to ensure that they have the opportunity to elect the candidates of their liking. The possibility of creating a third Latinx district in the San Fernando Valley was also reportedly discussed. The San Fernando Valley is an area with a high concentration of Latinx voters, and the 2021 redistricting commission proposed such a district but it was rejected by the City Council.
State prosecutors launched an investigation into LA redistricting in 2022 after the LA City Council “Recording Scandal,” in which controversial conversations between councilmembers Kevin de Leon and then-LA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera were recorded, not only for racist remarks but also for alleged interference in the redistricting process.
The consent judgment proposed by Bonta’s office would need to be signed by both sides and approved by the Superior Court. The LA City Council reportedly held a lengthy closed session on the matter last week, and officials including the council president declined to comment.
Several concerns are surrounding the redistricting. Candidates running in the November 5 election are campaigning to represent three council districts that were finalized in 2021. Voters will also be voting on whether to adopt an independent redistricting process that does not involve the City Council at election time. This process would begin in 2031. Additionally, redrawing district boundaries by 2026 could potentially conflict with the new Charter Reform Commission, which is expected to consider expanding the size of the City Council.
BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
