The following is a press announcement from the City of Lancaster:
“Dr. Kousser is one of our nation’s leading experts regarding Voting Rights. He presented a very in-depth analysis on this matter, including some very detailed statistical regression analyses,” said Chairman Steven Derryberry.
After conducting an extensive study examining the City of Lancaster’s compliance with the California Voting Rights Act from 2002 until present, Dr. Kousser found that Lancaster’s elections have complied with the Act. More specifically, where racially polarized voting may have existed in some prior elections, the candidate of choice of the minority group was elected.
Voting Rights Act expert, Dr. Morgan Kousser boasts an extensive background in voting rights and redistricting law. Dr. Kousser has consulted or testified in twenty-five federal and seven state cases regarding voting rights and redistricting. A graduate of both Yale and Princeton, Dr. Kousser has been an instructor at the California Institute of Technology since 1969. He has also authored several books and numerous scholarly articles and reviews on minority voting rights, race relations, political history, educational discrimination, and quantitative methods.
“I’m pleased that the data shows that the City of Lancaster is in full compliance with the California Voting Rights Act,” said City Attorney, Allison Burns. “I am also pleased that the City has taken such a proactive approach by establishing a citizen committee and bringing in an expert to take an in-depth look at this issue.”
The study was requested by the City Council, on the recommendation of the City’s Elections Committee, to undertake an examination of Lancaster’s compliance with the California Voting Rights Act. The City’s appointed citizen Elections Committee is chaired by local attorney, Steven Derryberry, who is joined by commissioners Ed Galindo, Cassandra Harvey, Darren Parker, and Kitty Szeto.