CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Chicago City Council’s African-American and Latino caucuses are squaring off over the process of redrawing ward boundaries across the city.
The Council’s Latino Caucus is out with its version of a ward map that would add two majority Hispanic wards to the landscape.
But Ald. Jason Ervin, who chairs the Council’s Black Caucus, said that remap would be unconstitutional, explaining that it would diminish the voting rights of African-Americans in Chicago, who are a protected class under the Voting Rights Act.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas, the Latino Caucus chair, denied that, saying their map preserves African-American wards and would withstand scrutiny.
He said they would address the growing Latino population in the city and add a majority Asian ward as well. He also pointed out that Hispanics are a protected class under the law as well.
If neither side can muster 40 votes for a single map, the matter would go to a public referendum.
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