Irving To Fight Voting Rights Act Violation Ruling

Irving plans to appeal a federal judge's ruling that found the city's election system violates the Voting Rights Act.

Last Wednesday's ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Jorge A. Solis prevents the city from using the at-large system because it's believed to diminish the voting power of Irving's minority population.

The court also threatened to impose a new plan of its own if the city does not agree to one in 90 days.

The voting rights lawsuit against Irving alleged the at-large election system kept Hispanics from being represented in local government. It was filed in November 2007 on behalf of Manuel Benavidez, an Irving resident who has twice run unsuccessfully for the school board.

Hispanic and blacks make up the majority of Irving's population, but the mayor and all eight City Council members are white.