In a stunning development, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Los Angeles could be forced to redraw its city council districts for the second time in three years.
The Times has received a copy of a draft legal document prepared by the office of Attorney General Rob Bonta, titled “(Proposed) Stipulated Judgment.” It calls for new boundaries to be drawn before the 2026 primary election.
Bonta’s office has been investigating potential wrongdoing during the last redistricting process, which occurred in 2021. The probe was launched after an audio leak at City Hall, and remains ongoing. In addition to racist remarks, the audio captured three council members discussing how they could manipulate the process to stay in power.
The draft legal document does not state whether Bonta’s office has found any improprieties. However, sources told the Times that Bonta is concerned the redistricting process did not ensure adequate representation for Latinos.
Bonta’s office singled out two council districts on the Eastside — one represented by Eunisses Hernandez, the other by Kevin de León — as areas of concern, saying those districts do not have a sufficient number of Latino voters to ensure that Latinos have the opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice, according to the sources, who declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak on the matter publicly.
In briefings with council members, lawyers for the city said Bonta’s team has also discussed the possibility of creating a third “Latino” district in the San Fernando Valley — one with a significant concentration of Latino voters, the two sources said. That idea was proposed by the city’s citizen redistricting commission in 2021 but discarded by the council.
Council districts are typically redrawn every 10 years. Forcing Los Angeles to alter its maps again could cause a political earthquake. It could also impact the work of the city’s new charter reform commission, which is set to consider expanding the City Council next year.