Leah Aden, NAACP LDF Assistant Counsel and Former Center Fellow, won an important battle (
) for fair elections in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on Monday. Ms. Aden represents Fayette County, Georgia voters in their effort to secure fair district-based voting as the voting method for the upcoming special election. Ms. Aden argued the County should be prevented from using the at-large method of voting during the upcoming special election because it will impermissibly dilute the voting power of Black voters in Fayette in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary of being signed into law on August 6.
Monday, the federal court granted Plaintiffs' preliminary injunction request. The 2015 special election to fill the seat vacated due to the untimely passing of the first Black County Commissioner (as a result of an earlier remedial election) will be conducted by district-based voting.
The court recognized that “[w]here, as here, Plaintiffs have established a substantial likelihood of success on the merits, the Court believes the public interest is best served by ensuring not simply that more voters have a chance to vote but ensuring that all citizens of Fayette County have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.”
For more information on the order and case read the LDF press release (
).
Posted by Jennifer Watson Marsh on Wed. August 5, 2015 10:24 AM
Categories:
Next Generation Series, Race Discrimination, Voting Rights