GET TO KNOW THE NEW 2021 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS IN ORANGE COUNTY
Through robust community engagement and organizing in the 2021 redistricting process, the People’s Redistricting Alliance successfully advocated for the creation of districts at all levels that center low-income communities of color and working families in Orange County. At Congressional, State Senate, and State Assembly levels, the PRA ensured all core communities of interest identified by members were kept together. Over the next decade, these districts will create unprecedented opportunities to advance public policies and programs responsive to those most in need.
While the 2022 Primary Election will be carried out under the new statewide and county legislative districts, constituents will continue to be represented by their existing legislators until the winners of the 2022 General Election assume office.
United States Congress
Congressional District 45
Creating new opportunities to advance immigrant community concerns like language access, access to social services, and affordable housing, CD45 brings together Little Saigon (Garden Grove, Westminster, and Fountain Valley), Pacific Islander communities in Garden Grove, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities (AMEMSA) in south Buena Park, La Palma, and Cypress in Orange County and Cerritos and Artesia in Los Angeles County, and Korean American communities in north Buena Park and northwest Fullerton. Disproportionately immigrant, voter registration in the new congressional district is approximately 28% foreign-born. CD45 is also home to one of the state’s largest Asian American citizen voting-age populations. Nearly 37% of those eligible to register to vote in the district are Asian American, a number second only to CD17 in the Bay Area. Geographically, the district’s center of gravity lies around Little Saigon; approximately 42% of those eligible to register to vote live in either Garden Grove, Westminster, or Fountain Valley.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 46
Drawn as a federal Voting Rights Act district, Latinx make up nearly 51% of those eligible to register to vote and 49% of registered voters in this district that brings together aligned low-income immigrant communities in Santa Ana, west Anaheim, Stanton, and south Fullerton. The district also maintains the integrity of Little Arabia in west Anaheim, spanning Brookhurst Street between Crescent Avenue and Katella Avenue. The core of CD46 lies in Santa Ana and Anaheim; approximately 77% of those eligible to register to vote in the district live in the two cities. By unifying south Fullerton and west Anaheim and drawing them together with impacted areas in Santa Ana, communities facing common environmental hazards such as lead-contaminated soil will have new opportunities to advance environmental justice and other critical concerns.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 47
Irvine has been one of California’s fastest growing cities. Between 2010 and 2020, the city’s total population grew nearly 45%; no city statewide with more than 100,000 residents grew faster over the decade. With immigration driving that growth, CD47 unifies disproportionately immigrant communities of interest in Irvine and Costa Mesa, keeping both cities whole and together. Together, the two cities make up nearly half of the district’s total population; Asian Americans and Latinx make up nearly 45% of all residents. While drawn with higher income coastal communities, this district ensures that low-income Irvine residents speak with one voice at the congressional level and are paired with others in Costa Mesa with whom they have shared interests like language access, affordable housing, and workforce development.
California State Senate
State Senate District 34
SD34 is the county’s first federal Voting Rights Act district for the Latinx community at the State Senate level, creating unprecedented opportunities for responsive policy making in Orange County at that level of state government around issues like environmental justice, affordable housing, and others impacting immigrants. Latinx make up nearly 65% of the total population, 52% of those eligible to register to vote, and 49% of registered voters in this district that brings together low-income immigrant communities in Santa Ana, east Garden Grove, west Anaheim, south Fullerton, La Habra, and parts of Los Angeles County. SD34 also maintains the integrity of Korean American communities in north Buena Park and northwest Fullerton and Little Arabia in west Anaheim. The district’s core lies in Santa Ana and Anaheim; approximately 59% of those eligible to register to vote reside in those two cities.
State Senate District 36
While drawn with higher income coastal communities, SD36 maintains the integrity of and brings together disproportionately immigrant communities of interest in the area, including Little Saigon (west Garden Grove, Westminster, and Fountain Valley), Pacific Islander communities in west Garden Grove, and AMEMSA communities in south Buena Park, La Palma, and Cypress in Orange County and Cerritos and Artesia in Los Angeles County. Asian Americans and Latinx make up over 43% of those eligible to register to vote district wide and together have the influence to advance issues like language access, access to social services, and affordable housing. Geographically, Little Saigon residents make up approximately 27% of those eligible to register in the district, while communities in Buena Park, La Palma, Cypress, Cerritos, and Artesia make up roughly 18%.
State Senate District 37
As the city of Irvine continues to grow, it is critical that its disproportionately immigrant residents come together to advance their needs and concerns. SD37 maintains the integrity of immigrant communities of interest in Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Tustin, with all three cities drawn whole and together. Home to nearly 282,000 Asian Americans, the district’s diverse Asian American population is seventh largest among State Senate districts statewide and includes large numbers of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean registered voters. SD37 is also home to many low-income residents, with large numbers residing in parts of Costa Mesa, Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Placentia, and Fullerton adjacent to SD34. With critical needs that include language access, affordable housing, and workforce development, it was important that these residents be drawn into a different district than higher income coastal communities.
California State Assembly
State Assembly District 67
AD67 strengthens the existing State Assembly district, incorporating diverse immigrant communities across county lines to create a district whose voter registration is 28% foreign-born. Straddling Los Angeles and Orange Counties, the district brings together low-income immigrant communities in south Fullerton and west Anaheim, Korean American communities in north Buena Park and northwest Fullerton, AMEMSA communities in south Buena Park, La Palma, and Cypress in Orange County and Cerritos and Artesia in Los Angeles County, and Little Arabia in west Anaheim. Latinx and Asian American registered voters make up a majority (55%) of the electorate in this coalition district and have the power to address shared needs and concerns, including language access, affordable housing, and environmental justice.
State Assembly District 68
Maintaining a federal Voting Rights Act district for the Latinx community, AD68 stands as the most Latinx statewide legislative district in Orange County. Nearly 71% of the district’s total population, 56% of those eligible to register to vote district-wide, and 54% of its voter registration are Latinx. While the district also includes parts of Orange and west Anaheim, approximately 51% of those eligible to register to vote in AD68 live in Santa Ana. . The district is home to low-income residents and mixed immigration status families facing numerous challenges, including immigration enforcement and access to affordable housing.
State Assembly District 70
AD70 is home to one of the largest Asian American communities in California. With nearly 191,000 Asian American residents, the district’s Asian American population is the fifth largest statewide and second largest in Southern California. Centered around Little Saigon, including Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, west Santa Ana, and Stanton, the district is one of the nation’s most influential for Vietnamese Americans and maintains the integrity of vibrant Pacific Islander communities in Garden Grove. With an electorate that is nearly one-third foreign-born, the district’s disproportionately low-income residents share both common refugee experiences and the need for social services and affordable housing.
State Assembly District 73
Divided into two State Assembly districts in 2011, the city of Irvine has been unified and drawn together with aligned communities in Costa Mesa and Tustin in the new AD73. With approximately 57% of eligible voters based in Irvine, the district’s total population is now over 36% Asian American and nearly 22% Latinx. Home to one of the fastest growing parts of the state over the past decade, the district maintains the integrity of important immigrant communities of interest and has an electorate that is nearly one-quarter foreign-born. With emerging low-income populations, the district’s needs include language access, affordable housing and rental assistance, and workforce development.
Orange County Board of Supervisors
Board of Supervisors District 1
The first supervisorial district is more Asian American than any other countywide. Home to Little Saigon, the district brings together disproportionately refugee communities in west Garden Grove, Westminster, and Fountain Valley with needs that include language access, access to social services, and affordable housing. While drawn with higher income coastal communities, over 34% of the first supervisorial district’s total population, 30% of those eligible to register to vote, and 29% of its voter registration are Asian American, predominantly Vietnamese. The district is also home to vibrant Pacific Islander communities in west Garden Grove. Together, west Garden Grove, Westminster, and Fountain Valley make up nearly half of the first supervisorial district’s total population.
Board of Supervisors District 2
The second supervisorial district is the first federal Voting Rights Act district for the Latinx community at the Orange County Board of Supervisors level. Nearly 67% of the district’s total population, 52% of its eligible voters, and over 49% of its registered voters are Latinx. This district provides the community an unprecedented opportunity not only to elect their candidate of choice, but advance policies and programs that address their critical needs, including affordable housing and COVID19 public health response. Geographically, the second supervisorial district is centered around Santa Ana, where over half of the district’s total population resides.
Board of Supervisors District 4
While the fourth supervisorial district changed little between 2011 and 2021, it provides the Latinx community with growing influence over who is elected and the kinds of public policies that are developed. With needs that include environmental justice and affordable housing, Latinx make up over 46% of the district’s total population, nearly 35% of those eligible to register to vote, and 33% of its voter registration. Disproportionately immigrant, the fourth supervisorial district brings together both low-income communities in south Fullerton and west Anaheim and Korean American communities in north Buena Park and northwest Fullerton. Nearly 24% of those registered to vote districtwide are foreign-born. The district’s center of gravity remains in west Anaheim and Fullerton, which together make up nearly 54% of the district’s total population.
Board of Supervisors Districts 3 & 5
In an overtly partisan move, the Board chose to divide immigrant communities of interest in Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Tustin between the third and fifth supervisorial districts. Asian American communities were particularly impacted, with communities south of the 405 Freeway drawn into a different district than those north of 405 Freeway. Opposed by members of the People’s Redistricting Alliance, this partisan gerrymander limits the ability of those communities to advocate for policies that benefit them, including language access, affordable housing, and workforce development. It also demonstrates the conflict of interest inherent in redistricting processes that give incumbents the power to draw their own districts and the importance of creating independent commissions to draw Orange County Board of Supervisors and other local legislative districts in 2031
