California State Senate Plan

The PRA’s California State Senate plan for Orange County centers federal Voting Rights Act compliance and communities of interest that reflect the needs of the county’s most impacted residents. With districts drawn to population equality requirements, the plan also respects other redistricting criteria established under Proposition 11, such as contiguity, maintaining the integrity of city and county boundaries, and compactness when not conflicting with core principles.

Respect for the federal Voting Rights Act. The PRA plan creates a Latinx Section 2 district with Santa Ana, west Anaheim, Stanton, Fullerton, La Habra, and Whittier.

Respect for communities of interest. The PRA plan centered numerous communities of interest in the drawing of Senate lines, including race as one of many factors. AMEMSA, Asian American, housing cost-burdened, immigrant, Latinx, limited English proficient (LEP), low-income, nail salon worker, Pacific Islander, environmentally impacted, uninsured, and other populations in need were considered in identifying both communities of interest and geographic areas that were similar to and different from one another. Given their prominence in Orange County, the plan also maintained the integrity of coastal communities of interest when possible.

Respect for population equality. The PRA plan includes districts whose total populations fall within +/- 1% deviation of the ideal population of 988,086 persons per Senate district.

Respect for the requirement of contiguity. The PRA plan draws continuous Senate districts.

Respects the integrity of city and county boundaries. In developing the PRA plan, city and county boundaries were crossed for only three reasons:  to ensure population equality, comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, and respect the integrity of communities of interest that cross city or county lines.

Respect for the requirement of compactness. The PRA plan draws compact districts where possible, understanding that federal Voting Rights Act compliance in both Orange County and surrounding areas and maintaining the integrity of communities of interest may require drawing less compact districts.

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT OC1

District OC1 creates a federal Voting Rights Act district around Latinx communities in Santa Ana, west Anaheim, Stanton, La Habra, and parts of Whittier, South Whittier, and East Whitter in Los Angeles County, including east Garden Grove, and parts of Orange and Tustin. Based on official redistricting data released from the Statewide Database at U.C. Berkeley in September, Latinx can constitute a majority of an assembly district’s citizen voting-age population in this part of Orange County. The PRA has commissioned the UCLA Voting Rights Project to conduct a racially polarized voting analysis examining the relationship between the racial composition of precincts in the district and support for candidates of choice, with outcomes to be provided to the Commission shortly.

  • Total Population:  988,777
  • Deviation:  +691 (+0.07%)
  • Federal Voting Rights Act Compliance:  SECTION 2 DISTRICT
  • Latinx Voting-Age Population: 451,384 (59.6%)
  • Latinx Citizen Voting-Age Population: 276,657 (50.4%)
  • Contiguity:  District is contiguous.
Justification for City Splits
  • Anaheim:: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Buena Park: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Fullerton: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Garden Grove: Included portion of city (east of West Street between Orangewood Ave and Garden Grove Blvd and east of Newhope Street between W Garden Grove Blvd and Westminster Blvd) is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • La Mirada: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Orange: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Placentia: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Santa Ana: Included portion of city (east of Harbor Blvd) is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • South Whittier: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Tustin: Included portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Whittier: Included portion of Whittier is disproportionately Latinx and required to create a Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.

CityPopulation in DistrictPercent of City in District
Anaheim289,38583.21%
Buena Park27,46432.62%
East Whittier10,422100.00%
Fullerton86,50460.10%
Garden Grove39,17322.73%
La Habra63,234100.00%
La Mirada11,20123.28%
Orange61,11143.59%
Placentia16,66732.10%
Santa Ana278,68389.50%
South Whittier12,41221.92%
Stanton38,067100.00%
Tustin28,26235.15%
Whittier11,67513.33%

Justification for County Splits
  • Los Angeles: Federal VRA compliance.
  • Orange: County’s total population is greater than allowable district population.
CountyPopulation in DistrictPercent of County in District
Los Angeles45,7100.45%
Orange943,06729.54%
Communities of Interest

District OC1 is a Section 2 Voting Rights Act required district for Latinx communities in Santa Ana, west Anaheim, Stanton, Fullerton, La Habra, Whittier, and the surrounding areas, uniting disproportionately Latinx immigrant and low-income communities. The district also maintains the integrity of the Little Arabia community of interest, located in west Anaheim on Brookhurst Street between Crescent Avenue and Katella Avenue.

Compactness

District OC1 is compact, with a population polygon score 0.50 or greater.

Nesting

District OC1 is not nested to ensure federal Voting Rights Act compliance.

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT OC2

District OC2 brings together two communities of interest, AMEMSA communities in Buena Park, La Palma, Cypress, Cerritos, and Artesia and Vietnamese American communities in west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley. As part of their daily lives, AMEMSA communities in Orange County cross into Los Angeles County to shop in ethnic markets, dine in restaurants, worship, and access social services in Artesia and Cerritos. To the south, Vietnamese American communities in west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley share common refugee experiences and the need for social services and affordable housing. Both communities of interest share experiences as immigrants and common needs such as language access. The district also maintains the integrity of a coastal community of interest from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach.

  • Total Population:  983,376
  • Deviation:  -4,710 (-0.48%)
  • Federal Voting Rights Act Compliance:  N/A
  • Contiguity:  District is contiguous.

Justification for City Splits

  • Buena Park: Included portion of city (south of the 5 Freeway) is disproportionately AMEMSA and part of AMEMSA COI connecting Buena Park, La Palma, Cypress, Cerritos, and Artesia.
  • Garden Grove: Included portion of city (west of West Street between Orangewood Ave and Garden Grove Blvd and west of Newhope Street between W Garden Grove Blvd and Westminster Blvd) is disproportionately Vietnamese American Latinx and part of Vietnamese American COI connecting west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley.
  • Santa Ana: Included portion of city (west of Harbor Blvd) is disproportionately Vietnamese American Latinx and part of Vietnamese American COI connecting west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley.
CityPopulation in DistrictPercent of City in District
Artesia164,47100.00%
Buena Park56,72467.38%
Cerritos49,696100.00%
Costa Mesa112,137100.00%
Cypress50,235100.00%
Fountain Valley57,120100.00%
Garden Grove133,17477.27%
Huntington Beach199,030100.00%
La Palma15,597100.00%
Laguna Beach23,062100.00%
Los Alamitos11,794100.00%
Midway City8,845100.00%
Newport Beach85,338100.00%
Rossmoor10,634100.00%
Santa Ana32,71010.50%
Seal Beach25,282100.00%
Westminster91,083100.00%

Justification for County Splits

  • Los Angeles: AMEMSA COI crosses county lines.
  • Orange: County’s total population is greater than allowable district population.
CountyPopulation in DistrictPercent of County in District
Los Angeles66,1430.66%
Orange917,23328.73%
Communities of Interest

District OC2 brings together two communities of interest, AMEMSA communities in Buena Park, La Palma, Cypress, Cerritos, and Artesia and Vietnamese American communities in west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley. As part of their daily lives, AMEMSA communities in Orange County cross into Los Angeles County to shop in ethnic markets, dine in restaurants, worship, and access social services in Artesia and Cerritos. To the south, Vietnamese American communities in west Garden Grove, Westminster, west Santa Ana, and north Fountain Valley share common refugee experiences and the need for social services and affordable housing. Both communities of interest share experiences as immigrants and common needs such as language access. The district also maintains the integrity of a coastal community of interest from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach.

Compactness

District OC2 is compact, with a population polygon score 0.50 or greater.

Nesting

District OC2 is not nested to ensure federal Voting Rights Act compliance in adjacent district.

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT OC3

District OC3 features Irvine, one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Between 2010 and 2020, Irvine added over 95,000 new residents; among cities statewide with at least 100,000 people, none grew faster over the past decade. This dramatic increase has been fueled by ongoing growth in immigrant communities. The district also draws in two AMEMSA religious institutions, located in Costa Mesa, but more similar to the larger AMEMSA community in Irvine, including the Siva Kameswari Temple (3198 Airport Loop Dr) and Islamic Education Center of Orange County (3194 Airport Loop Dr). District also includes Tustin, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Placenta, Lake Forest, and other south county cities. 

  • Total Population:  993,962
  • Deviation:  +5,876 (+0.59%)
  • Federal Voting Rights Act Compliance:  N/A
  • Contiguity:  District is contiguous.
Justification for City Splits
  • Anaheim: Portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create an adjacent Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Costa Mesa: Portion of city includes two AMEMSA religious institutions more similar to the larger AMEMSA community in Irvine, including the Siva Kameswari Temple (3198 Airport Loop Dr) and Islamic Education Center of Orange County (3194 Airport Loop Dr).
  • Orange: Portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create an adjacent Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Placentia: Portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create an adjacent Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
  • Tustin: Portion of city is disproportionately Latinx and required to create an adjacent Section 2 Voting Rights Act compliant district.
CityPopulation in DistrictPercent of City in District
Aliso Viejo52,222100.00%
Anaheim58,37216.79%
Costa Mesa00.00%
Coto de Caza14,723100.00%
Irvine307,959100.00%
Laguna Hills31,398100.00%
Laguna Woods17,658100.00%
Lake Forest85,964100.00%
Las Flores6,004100.00%
Mission Viejo93,760100.00%
Modjeska632100.00%
North Tustin25,749100.00%
Orange79,07956.41%
Placentia35,25967.90%
R Santa Margarita47,999100.00%
Silverado932100.00%
Trabuco Canyon1,020100.00%
Tustin52,15064.85%
Villa Park5,850100.00%
Williams Canyon93100.00%
Yorba Linda68,414100.00%
Justification for County Splits
  • Orange: County’s total population is greater than allowable district population.
CountyPopulation in DistrictPercent of County in District
Orange993,96231.13%
Communities of Interest

District OC3 features Irvine, one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Between 2010 and 2020, Irvine added over 95,000 new residents; among cities statewide with at least 100,000 people, none grew faster over the past decade. This dramatic increase has been fueled by ongoing growth in immigrant communities. The district also draws in two AMEMSA religious institutions, located in Costa Mesa, but more similar to the larger AMEMSA community in Irvine, including the Siva Kameswari Temple (3198 Airport Loop Dr) and Islamic Education Center of Orange County (3194 Airport Loop Dr). The district also includes Tustin, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Placenta, Lake Forest, and other south county cities.

Compactness

District OC3 is compact, with a population polygon score 0.50 or greater.

Nesting

District OC3 is not nested to ensure federal Voting Rights Act compliance in adjacent district.