Dillard v. Chilton County Board of Education and Chilton County Commission
United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
699 F. Supp. 870 (M.D. Ala. 1988)
Facts
Chilton County experienced pervasive racial polarization in elections. African Americans constituted 11.86 percent of Chilton County's population. The at-large electoral system for the county commission and board of education impinged on § 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Thus, Chilton County devised a scheme to rectify this violation in the form of a settlement with aggrieved voters. A cumulative voting system would supersede the violative at-large system. This proposed system would establish a seven-member commission and a seven-member education board. Nevertheless, a cause of action commenced, alleging that the scheme failed to correct the § 2 violation. Aggrieved voters (plaintiffs) submitted that this plan fell short of proportionality. In its place, the aggrieved voters advanced a single-member redistricting scheme. A magistrate ruled in favor of the cumulative voting plan, which led to this appeal.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Thompson, J.)
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