A Los Angeles Superior judge has dismissed a California Voting Rights Act lawsuit filed against the city of Whittier by three Latino residents. Judge Michael Johnson ruled the city’s actions to change from an at-large voting system to one that is districted, something the suit sought, alleviates the issues in the original lawsuit. ”There can be no question that the City’s adoption of a new voting system has made Plaintiffs’ original complaint moot,” Johnson stated in his ruling. The judge also rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for an amended complaint, which was filed June 23 after the city voted in the districted elections on June 3.
The plaintiffs’ proposed amended complaint was “unworkable and inconsistent with the law,” Johnson wrote.
On the amended complaint, Johnson ruled the court cannot find that a future election violates the Voting Rights Act.
“This requires evidence of racially polarized voting, based upon ‘actual voting patterns,’” the ruling states.
Full Article: Judge dismisses voting rights lawsuit against Whittier.