February 18, 2009 – The Dallas Morning News reports that a federal court challenge to the City of Irving’s at-large City Council elections opened with disagreements over data interpretation.
Brewer Storefront represented plaintiff Manuel Benavidez in a voting rights lawsuit against the city, arguing that its at-large voting method effectively denies representation to Hispanics.
Expert David Ely testified that socioeconomic and educational disparities between Irving’s Hispanic and white populations made successful city council campaigns difficult for Hispanics.
“It’s more difficult for candidates from this community to obtain the vote,” Ely said. He said he used 2000 U.S. Census data, 2006 Census estimates and his own projects to develop possible Hispanic voter majority districts.