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Trial Begins Over Long Island Town’s Alleged Voter Disenfranchisement Of Latinos

New citizens line up to take photos after a 2019 naturalization ceremony in Central Islip, New York.
Charles Lane
/
WSHU
New citizens line up to take photos after a 2019 naturalization ceremony in Central Islip, New York.

The Latino population on Long Island has been steadily growing for years. In Islip, in Suffolk County, they account for more than 30 percent of the town’s 300,000-plus residents. Yet, no Latino has ever been elected to the town board.

Starting September 30, a federal judge will begin hearing arguments about whether Islilp’s election system violates the federal Voting Rights Act. The trial is expected to last several years.

Read the full story at gothamist.com.