Lawsuit says new majority Latino district in WA a ‘facade’

By CHRIS GRYGIEL
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — A Latino civil rights organization and others have filed a federal lawsuit that says new political maps in Washington state approved by a bipartisan redistricting panel intentionally dilute Hispanic voters’ influence. The legal action filed Wednesday targets state Legislative District 15 in Yakima, which is majority Latino. The Redistricting Commission said the area has a Latino voter population of 50.02% and an overall minority voter population of 55.05%. But the lawsuit filed by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and others says the new voting area is a “facade” of a majority-minority district and violated the Voting Rights Act because it won’t allow Latinos the chance to elect candidates of their choice.