Thread: Irving's at-large City Council system hurts Hispanic voters

The Census unfortunately does NOT reflect a voter census.

Studies find Irving's at-large City Council system hurts Hispanic voters

06:17 PM CDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@dallasnews.com

Irving’s at-large voting system effectively allows white voters to block the election of Hispanic voters’ favored City Council candidates, according to new studies that are part of a federal voting rights lawsuit filed against the city.

The studies, released this week, said that there is at least one area in Irving that could serve as a single-member council district where a majority of residents are voting-age Hispanics.

The reports also said that Irving’s Hispanic voters in recent council elections have overwhelmingly chosen Hispanic candidates. According to the studies, none of those candidates won because non-Hispanic voters, who typically cast more than 90 percent of ballots in the elections, overwhelmingly chose Hispanic candidates’ opponents.

“It is clear that whites vote as a bloc, and given they vote as a bloc, it effectively negates any chance a Hispanic has at being elected,â€

[quote]
“It is clear that whites vote as a bloc, and given they vote as a bloc, it effectively negates any chance a Hispanic has at being elected,â€