Justice Department OKs County Redistricting Plan

A redistricting plan that gives about half a million residents their second or third different Los Angeles County supervisor has received the approval of the U.S. Justice Department and is now officially in effect, county officials announced Tuesday.

The map, approved by the supervisors in September, made minor adjustments in last year’s court-drawn districts to reflect population changes recorded in the 1990 Census.

County officials were notified Tuesday that the plan had received the approval of the Justice Department, a plaintiff in the voting rights lawsuit that led to the election earlier this year of the first Latino supervisor this century, Gloria Molina. Justice Department approval was expected.

Azusa and Pomona receive their third new supervisor in a year--Molina. At the beginning of last year, the cities were represented by 1st District Supervisor Pete Schabarum, who retired. Azusa and Pomona then became part of Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s 5th District under court-ordered remapping.