Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
Judge rules that Palmdale must change city election practices
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Dec 3, 2013
Listen • 6:52
Judge rules that Palmdale must change city election practices
Earlier this year, a L.A. County judge found that Palmdale's at-large elections — where the whole city votes on each district's representative — was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act and therefore illegal.
City of Palmdale, California.
City of Palmdale, California.
(
City of Palmdale
)

Earlier this year, a L.A. County judge found that Palmdale's at-large elections — where the whole city votes on each district's representative — was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act and therefore illegal.

Earlier this year, a L.A. County judge found that Palmdale's at-large elections — where the whole city votes on each district's representative — was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act and therefore illegal.

The decision is based on the interpretation that the old system denies Latinos and African Americans a shot at sending one of their own to city council. Now the same judge ordered the city to hold new by-district elections for their four City Council seats.

Professor Richard Hasen at UC Irvine joins the show with more.