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ACW <br /> AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION <br /> FOUNDATION <br /> Southern California <br /> February 1, 2021 <br /> Sent Via Email <br /> Santa Ana City Council <br /> 22 Civic Center Plaza <br /> Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> eComment&santa-ana.org <br /> Re: Public Comment: Support for Santa Ana Redistricting Coalition Maps <br /> February 1,2022, City Council Meeting,Agenda Item No. 16 <br /> Dear Members of the Santa Ana City Council: <br /> The American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU)Foundation of Southern California supports SARC <br /> Map V and SARC Map 2.2 As explained in more detail in the map narratives,the SARC maps were <br /> created by community members throughout Santa Ana,including individuals served by Latino Health <br /> Access, Orange County Environmental Justice (OCEJ),Orange County Congregation Community <br /> Organization (OCCCO), and VietRISE. These organizations and their members form the Santa Ana <br /> Redistricting Coalition(SARC). Both maps follow state and federal redistricting criteria that help ensure <br /> that district lines are fair.Because the maps are legally compliant and are supported by ethnically and <br /> geographically diverse residents in Santa Ana,we urge you to adopt SARC Map I or SARC Map 2. <br /> The Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions Act(Fair Maps <br /> Act)requires the City Council to, in order of priority: comply with the federal requirement that districts <br /> be substantially equal in population, comply with Section 2 of the Federal Voting Rights Act(VRA), and <br /> create districts that are geographically contiguous,maintain communities of interest,have boundaries that <br /> are easily identifiable and understandable by residents,and are compact. Cal. Elec. Code §§ 21621(a)-(c). <br /> Both maps meet the federal requirements identified in the Fair Maps Act.See id. §§ 21621(a)& <br /> (b). The districts in both draft maps are substantially equal in population. In both maps the total deviation <br /> from the ideal population size is under 5%,well below the allowable 10%deviation. White v. Regester, <br /> 412 U.S. 755, 764(1976)(holding that deviations of under 10%are presumptively constitutional). <br /> Section 2 of the VRA prohibits district lines that dilute the voting strength of minority communities. 52 <br /> U.S.C. § 10301(a).Neither SARC map impermissibly dilutes the Asian or Latino vote through packing or <br /> cracking. The maps also do not violate the constitutional prohibition against racial gerrymandering. See <br /> Shaw v. Hunt, 517 U.S. 899, 905 (1996)(prohibiting the use of race as the predominant redistricting <br /> factor absent a compelling government interest). While the SARC identified various communities of <br /> SARC Map 1 submission and narrative is available at:https://publicdocs.santa- <br /> ana.org/weblink/l,1,1,1,1,1,1,1.1/doc/130677/Pa eg l.aspx. <br /> z SARC Map 2 submission and narrative is available at:https://publicdocs.santa- <br /> ana.org/weblink/l,1,1,1,1,1,1,1.1/doc/130675/Pa eg l.aspx. <br /> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Hector 0.Villagra <br /> CHAIR Marla Stone VICE CHAIRS Sherry Frumkin and Frank Broccolo <br /> CHAIRS EMERITI Shari Leinwand Stephen Rohde Danny Goldberg Allan K.Jonas* Burt Lancaster' Irving Lichtenstein,MY Jarl Mohn <br /> Laurie Ostrow* Stanley K.Sheinbaum* <br /> *deceased <br /> 1313 WEST EIGHTH STREET • SUITE 200 • LOS ANGELES, CA 90017 • T 213.977.9500 • F 213.915.0220 • ACLUSOCAL.ORG <br />