Judge Dismisses Voting Rights Suit Against City
A judge has dismissed a federal voting rights lawsuit against Santa Paula, closing a contentious three-year battle over Latinos’ electoral clout in the small farm town.
The lawsuit alleged that the city’s at-large voting system violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and perpetuated racial discrimination by preventing Latino candidates from being elected to the City Council.
A dismissal was expected after the federal government and the Santa Paula City Council agreed in August to settle the lawsuit by allowing voters in this mostly Latino city to decide next year whether to keep at-large elections or to switch to a district system.
That ballot question will go to voters in November 2002.
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