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McGhee v. Granville County Board of Commissioners

860 F.2d 110 (1988)

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McGhee v. Granville County Board of Commissioners

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
860 F.2d 110 (1988)

  • Written by Philip Glass, JD

Facts

African Americans comprised 43.9 percent of the population of Granville County. This demographic also comprised 40.8 percent of voting-age persons and 39.5 percent of registered voters. Originally, Granville County employed an at-large, county-wide system for electing commissioners. This system violated § 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As redress, Granville County advanced a single-member redistricting scheme. This would increase the number of commissioners to seven from the original five. Only one majority-minority district would result. Besides this, the plan would create one district potentially favorable to African American voters. Both the original scheme and this proposal featured staggered terms for commissioners. A vote-dilution challenge arose in response, on the basis of the county's plan's disproportionality. This opposition, comprised of aggrieved voters (plaintiffs), advanced a limited voting plan with at-large, nonstaggered voting. Voters would select a maximum of three candidates at their discretion. Nevertheless, voters conceded that Granville County's scheme constituted a maximal solution. The district court endorsed this plan over that of the municipality.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Phillips, J.)

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