THE ETHNIC-RACIAL PROFILE OF THE ARAPIRACA CITY COUNCIL AND THE REPRESENTATION OF NON-WHITE PEOPLE 0 0

Abstract

The present study examines Black political representation within the municipal Legislative Branch of Arapiraca, Alagoas. Its primary objective is to determine whether Black and Mixed-race (pardo) individuals are underrepresented in the City Council relative to the ethnic-racial composition of the local population, or if such representation is proportional. The methodology employs a mixed-methods approach—both quantitative and qualitative—with a descriptive and analytical framework. The research is based on secondary data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) regarding the 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections, complemented by demographic data from the 2022 IBGE Census. The results demonstrate that the population of Arapiraca is predominantly Black (68%) and that there has been a progressive increase in self-identified Black and Mixed-race elected officials: rising from 7 councilors in 2016 to 11 in 2020, and 12 in 2024. These findings indicate that the composition of the Council has begun to generally reflect the municipality's demographic profile. Finally, the conclusions suggest that the political marginalization of Black people in Arapiraca is diminishing—potentially driven by new proportional funding regulations and racial awareness promoted by social movements—thereby refuting the initial hypothesis of severe underrepresentation within the current context of the local legislature.