U.S. Justice Department upholds Senate maps

Sacramento Bee, The (CA) - Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Author: Jim Sanders ; Bee Capitol Bureau

California's newly drawn legislative and congressional lines cleared a major hurdle Tuesday when the U.S. Department of Justice ruled that they do not dilute minority voting power in four counties under federal oversight. 

The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires such approval of any new political districts formed in Kings, Merced, Monterey and Yuba counties to ensure that they do not adversely affect minority groups. The federal Justice Department gave the green light in a two-paragraph ruling that did not elaborate on its findings. 

A Republican-backed coalition, Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting, had filed arguments with the Justice Department challenging the legality of the newly drawn state Senate maps, focusing its arguments on lines drawn in Monterey and Merced counties. 

In a separate effort to overturn the Senate maps, FAIR has filed petition signatures with county elections offices in an attempt to place those districts before voters in November. Signatures are being counted, with support from 504,760 voters needed to qualify for the ballot.