Feds' suit claims Pennsylvania city's 'at-large' election system is biased against Hispanic voters
Source: Yahoo! News/AP
Updated Wed, January 8, 2025 at 5:14 PM EST
The U.S. Justice Department wants a judge to declare that a Pennsylvania city's method of electing council members citywide instead of by districts has illegally diluted the political power of its growing Hispanic population, arguing in a lawsuit that Hazleton is violating the federal Voting Rights Act.
A complaint filed Tuesday in Scranton federal court claims the “at-large” system "results in Hispanic citizens not having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice.” The Justice Department under outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden is seeking a court order that the city, the five-member City Council and Republican Mayor Jeff Cusat come up with a new system.
Cusat and City Council President Jim Perry issued a statement Wednesday saying the election method does allow Hispanic people an equal chance to participate. “The current at-large system in the City of Hazleton gives equal voting rights to all citizens regardless of their race or gender,” they said.
Hazleton's growing cohort of Hispanic voters has not turned out in sufficient numbers to get one of their own elected, Perry said in a phone interview Wednesday, noting there are Hispanic people serving on city boards and authorities. “They run and they don’t make it,” said Perry, a Republican. “So it just, to me, is you got to vote.”
Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/feds-suit-claims-pennsylvania-citys-181524755.html
Link to DOJ Civil Rights Division PRESS RELEASE - Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Philly has some "at-large" City Council seats but not as the sole form for our Councilmanic elections. We have 10 Coucilmanic "Districts" and 7 "at-large" slots.
Hazelton is an itty bitty city in comparison (about the size of a Philly neighborhood) so not sure how they would work that there but this suit will be instructive to follow.