Groups say Colorado weakens Latino votes for Congress

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Civil rights groups are trying to convince the Colorado Supreme Court to block the state’s new congressional map. The groups argue the newly-redrawn maps continue to dilute Latino voting power. Filings from two Latino rights groups on Friday argued that Hispanic voters are being lumped into districts with whites who vote differently. The complaints point to examples in northern and southern Colorado. A new congressional swing seat joins traditionally Democratic and heavily Latino Adams County with conservative rural whites in Weld County. In the south, Latino populations are split between three congressional districts dominated by whites. The court has until Nov. 1 to decide whether to make the state’s independent redistricting commission redraw the maps.