SPRINGFIELD Voting rights lawsuits filed against the city'sschool district and park board were thrown out Thursday by a federaljudge.
The suits were filed by black residents who contended thecity-wide election of the two boards has diluted minority votes andprevented them from winning board posts.
But U.S. District Judge Richard Mills said the plaintiffs'proposed solution did not meet the legal requirements to prove thetwo boards violated the federal Voting Rights Act.
The black residents proposed seven election districts for eachboard, with at least one district including a minority population ofat least 50 percent. But because federal law requires that thevoting district's applicable minority population be of voting age,Mills said that quota could not be reached by using the city's 11percent minority population.
Donald Craven, lawyer for the black plaintiffs, said Mills'decision could have national implications if allowed to stand becauseit narrows the scope of the Voting Rights Act.
Earlier this year, another federal judge found Springfield'scitywide city council elections violated the Voting Rights Act, andhe ordered the creation of a new council elected from 10 wards.
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