Judge overturns Irving ISD election system, says it discriminates against Hispanics
Irving ISD will have to rewrite its election system for the second time in two years following a Friday ruling that it denies Hispanics a fair opportunity to vote.
A federal judge ruled that IISD, where most students are Hispanic, violates the Voting Rights Act because it contains no voting district in which Hispanics make up a true majority of voters.
The ruling, which follows a lawsuit brought by three Hispanic residents and the powerful law firm Bickel & Brewer—is similar to ones that have forced the cities of Irving and Farmers Branch to rewrite their election systems in recent years.
Irving tried to prevent today’s outcome by voluntarily rewriting its election system in 2012. It changed five of its seven at-large voting district to single-member districts, one of which was supposed to be Hispanic-majority.
Read more: http://irvingblog.dallasnews.com/2014/08/judge-overturns-irving-isd-election-system-says-it-discriminates-against-hispanics.html/