For the first time in 20 years, a landmark court ruling established to ensure adequate minority representation in city government will not dictate how the city redraws its district boundary lines.
“The Brown decision only referred to the first redistricting,” City Attorney Mike McMahan said last week. “There were no requirements after the first redistricting.”
The court ruling — Brown v. city of Chattanooga — established a mayor and City Council form of government. It also established three majority-minority districts and one swing district among nine total districts.
Because of population shifts, there’s the possibility the swing district could “go away,” McMahan said.
“There’s a lot more flexibility,” he said.
The lead plaintiff in the court case, state Rep. Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga, said last week she was unaware that this redistricting won’t come under the court ruling.
“I’d have to talk to our lawyers,” she said.
She said the plaintiffs will want to make sure the rights of the public are kept intact “even if it goes back to court.”
Before the ruling, the city elected commissioners at large, which meant blacks didn’t have enough voting strength to get a representative on the city commission. Ten plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in 1987 and a judge ruled in their favor. The city’s new government of commissioners elected by district was formed in 1991.
Though the court ruling may not apply to this redistricting, the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 does, McMahan said.
“It doesn’t mean they can go out willy-nilly and ignore minority voting blocks,” he said.
what it means
The U.S. Constitution requires all political districts to be redrawn after every 10-year census to help account for population shifts.
The state Legislature will draw state and U.S. House and Senate boundaries. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said redistricting will begin in 2012.
At the county level, commission Chairman Fred Skillern said he probably will appoint all nine commissioners to sit on a special committee for redistricting next year.
He said the county has two majority-minority districts.
“We used to have three, but it’s getting harder,” he said.
He said minorities are dispersing throughout the community.
The City Council could begin the work in March, city officials said.
McMahan said changed demographics in core areas of Chattanooga, such as St. Elmo, North Chattanooga and Southside, could affect how the lines are drawn.
“The population has undoubtedly shifted some,” he said.
But he expects there still will be three majority-minority districts.
Councilman Peter Murphy, chairman of the Legal and Legislative Committee, was elected from District 9, one of the majority-minority districts.
Murphy, who is white, said while he is “committed to maintaining three majority-minority districts,” he also isn’t sure whether drawing such lines will always be possible.
He said the community is changing and the lines that once split neighborhoods into black and white areas are getting harder to see.
“In 10 years, it might be more difficult,” he said. “I think in 20 years people will be living anywhere and everywhere.”
Contact Cliff Hightower at chightower@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CliffHightower.