September 26, 2014 – The Dallas Morning News reports that Bickel & Brewer Storefront (now Brewer Storefront) announced the settlement of a voting rights lawsuit brought against the Grand Prairie Independent School District.
The lawsuit, filed by the Bickel & Brewer Storefront on behalf of Victor Rodriguez, claimed that the at-large system denied fair representation to Hispanic citizens. As part of the settlement, the district agreed to transition to a new electoral system consisting of five single-member districts and two at-large districts. Two of the single-member districts adopted were made up of a majority of eligible voters who were Latino U.S. citizens.
"We are pleased that the school board agreed to adopt an electoral system that provides Latino voters in the district a meaningful opportunity to participate in the political process," William A. Brewer III, partner at the Storefront, said in a statement. "Beyond the benefits to this school district, we believe the actions taken here are instructive to other school boards across the state."
The article noted that Hispanic students made up more than 60 percent of the student body, while the citizen voting age population was almost 34 percent Hispanic.
The lawsuit argued that the at-large system prevented effective participation by the Hispanic electorate. The article also referenced similar lawsuits filed by Bickel & Brewer in nearby cities, leading to changes in their voting systems.
Read more here.