SUNNYSIDE, Wash. – Empowering Latina Leaders and Action (ELLA) and the ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) submitted a Notice of Intent to Sue to the Sunnyside School Board on Tue., April 16 for violating the Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA).
A press release from ACLU-WA states that the current at-large election system for the District dilutes Latinx votes despite the population of the City and the District being over 80 percent Latinx.
The press release says that the current system lets every voter cast a vote in every electoral race. This means a majority voting population will win every seat when voting as a bloc.
ACLU-WA argues that Sunnyside’s Latinx residents tend to be younger and unable to vote and are historically disenfranchised. This causes Latinx voters to represent a smaller voting population than white voters despite being in the majority of the population, according to ACLU-WA.
“We know that Latin@s came out in record numbers to vote for Latin@ representation in both the city council and School Board races,” said ELLA Executive Director Maria Fernandez. “However, the District’s at-large election system, once again defeated the will of the people within the Latino-majority districts.”
ACLU-WA and ELLA say that Yakima Valley also has a long history of discrimination, causing discouragement and interference in Latinx participation in elections. ELLA candidates in the most recent election reported racist language, including people referring to ELLA as a “cartel” or a “gang.”
“Our children don’t feel safe or heard by Sunnyside School District’s administration, and that has to change,” said Migrant Student Nurse Raquel Lopez, whose son was assaulted at Sunnyside High School. “Changing our at-large voting system will give us the opportunity to make needed, lasting changes to ensure the School Board is accountable to our students and community.”
NonStop Local reached out the Sunnyside School District for comment. The District said it received the documents Tuesday morning and is reviewing them.
The District has 90 days to have a remedy to the violation approved, otherwise ACLU-WA will file suit.
