Legislative redistricting has put the majority of Hispanic citizens in Sussex County in the same House of Representatives district. Before the redistricting, the Latino community near Georgetown had been split into three different districts.
The change gives the Hispanic community a much stronger voice in the state legislature. The Hispanic Community Redistricting Task Force worked with House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf to help achieve this change.
The task force was formed by Hispanic community leaders in order to increase their community’s voting power consistent with the growing number of Hispanics in Delaware.
ACLU-DE provided advice and legal counsel to the task force. Its members included representatives from First State LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), La Esperanza and members of the Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs.
The task force also worked with the Delaware League of Women Voters to change the Sussex County Council districts to better recognize the presence of communities of interest. That effort was not successful.
The next goal for the group is to increase civic education and voter registration training for Latinos. Increasing the number of registered voters is what that community, like any community, needs to expand its voice in government.
ACLU-DE is ready to help in that effort, as it is ready to help increase voting throughout the state.
