With an independent commission in charge, the 2021 redistricting process was supposed to be free of political bias. But that did not entirely happen, as consultants, lobbyists and councilmembers sought to influence the months-long deliberations that defined political boundaries for the next decade.
The map that advanced would merge a portion of East Long Beach with the California Heights, Bixby Knolls and Los Cerritos Neighborhoods west of Long Beach Airport while thrusting all of E Dorado Park and its neighboring homes into the present day 4th District.
Multiple members of the Latino community argued that putting all of the Westside into one district would water down Latino’s voting power because it would consolidate them into one large area mostly west of the 710 Freeway.