Voces de la Frontera Statement on Redistricting Decision
(MILWAUKEE, WI) – Late last night, the Milwaukee Common Council‘s Judiciary and Legislation Committee voted to maintain the maps they had passed previously that fail to account for the dramatic growth in Milwaukee’s Latinx population.
After the six hour committee meeting, Voces de la Frontera held a virtual press conference (full video here), in which Voces’ Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz, said:
“It is a disgrace that the Judiciary and Legislation Committee has failed to uphold democratic principles and not move forward with a map that accounts for the dramatic growth of Latinx residents in the city of Milwaukee and their ability to have greater representation as a community of interest.
Latinxs now account for 20% of the city’s population. Since roughly 1 in 5 of all Milwaukeeans are Latinxs, 3 out of the 15 Alderpersons on the Common Council should come from and represent the voting choice of Latinx voters and the particular issues that impact that community.
We think Alderman Spiker simply wants to maintain a conservative majority white district and essentially claiming reverse discrimination. We thank Alderwoman Dimitrijevic for trying sincerely to work for larger representation that would have significantly impacted her own district.
We just got the city attorney’s opinion, we’re evaluating it and we’re working on getting our own legal opinion. We’re carefully considering what our legal options are.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Milwaukee County redistricting process
- Op Ed: Muslim Community Needs Representation - Janan Najeeb - Jan 29th, 2022
- City Hall: Council Ends Redistricting With Anger, Tears - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 18th, 2022
- Statement from Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson - Mayor Cavalier Johnson - Jan 18th, 2022
- City Hall: Latino Leaders Could Sue Over Redistricting - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 14th, 2022
- Latinx Leaders Condemn Common Council’s Refusal to Draw New Districts Reflecting Dramatic Growth of Latinx Population; Demand Second Legal Opinion - Voces de la Frontera - Jan 14th, 2022
- Voces de la Frontera Statement on Redistricting Decision - Voces de la Frontera - Jan 11th, 2022
- Statement on redistricting decision - Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa - Jan 10th, 2022
- City Hall: Milwaukee Starts Over On Redistricting, Only To Adopt Same Map Again - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 10th, 2022
- Statement by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett: - Mayor Tom Barrett - Dec 14th, 2021
- City Hall: Council Halts Redistricting After Latino Pushback - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 14th, 2021
Read more about Milwaukee County redistricting process here
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