The Justice Department of the United States is urging a judge to rule that Hazleton, Pennsylvania, is unlawfully diminishing the electoral power of its increasing Hispanic population by utilizing a citywide at-large election process instead of district-based elections. This assertion is part of a lawsuit that claims Hazleton is infringing upon the federal Voting Rights Act.
Filed in federal court in Scranton on Tuesday, the complaint contends that the current voting system does not provide Hispanic citizens with equal opportunities to engage in the political arena or select candidates who represent their interests. The Biden administration is seeking a court mandate to compel the city, alongside its five-member City Council and Republican Mayor Jeff Cusat, to adopt a new electoral framework.
In response, both Mayor Cusat and City Council President Jim Perry issued a joint statement asserting that the existing at-large voting approach equitably permits Hispanic individuals to participate in elections. They emphasized that the current system affords equal voting rights to all residents, irrespective of race or gender.
Perry further elaborated in a Wednesday phone interview that the insufficient turnout among the Hispanic voters has contributed to the failure of electing candidates from their community, despite the presence of Hispanic individuals in various local board positions. He remarked, “They run and they don’t make it,” emphasizing the necessity for effective voting engagement.
U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam highlighted the increasing significance of the Hispanic demographic in Hazleton, which boasts a population of approximately 30,000, two-thirds of whom identify as Hispanic. Karam asserted that the Hispanic community should have the capability to support and elect representatives who mirror their concerns and interests.
The lawsuit mentions that the voting-age population in Hazleton, approximately 17,000, is composed of around 53% non-Hispanic whites, 43% Hispanics, and nearly 4% non-Hispanic blacks. Additionally, the Justice Department pointed out ongoing discrimination issues in areas such as education, employment, housing, and law enforcement that adversely affect the Hispanic community, including Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency.
Significantly, the lawsuit notes that no Hispanic individual has ever been elected to the Hazleton City Council or appointed to fill an existing vacancy. It argues that council elections are marked by racially polarized voting patterns, making it challenging for Hispanic candidates to secure funding, garner endorsements, and participate in campaign events.
State Representative Manny Guzman, a Democrat and vice chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus, expressed optimism that the lawsuit will enhance the political representation of Hazleton’s Hispanic residents. He indicated that there are systemic issues within the local government that hinder Latinos from obtaining their rightful positions in governance.
Furthermore, a related lawsuit from a year ago, brought by two Hispanic parents and currently awaiting resolution by U.S. District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, charges that the at-large voting system for the Hazleton Area School Board has similarly marginalized Hispanic voters in violation of their voting rights. The school district contended in its response that it has adhered to federal law and has not restricted anyone’s voting rights based on race or color.
