Latino Supervisor

I write this letter with both elation and sadness. Elation, because at long last there will be a Latino elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Sadness, because of the low voter turnout at the special election (Part A, Jan. 23).

Some years ago a lawsuit was filed and won by the American Civil Liberties Union which enabled persons to vote who were fluent in Spanish but not in English if otherwise qualified as an elector. This should have been a big boost for voting. It turned out not to be so. The common explanation was that Latinos had no incentive to vote because they could not win anyway. That rationale is no longer valid.

It is to be hoped that there will be a turnabout for the Feb. 19 runoff.

FRED OKRAND

Van Nuys