Dallas Morning News: Suit Calls Irving’s At-Large System Unfair to Hispanics

November 7, 2007 – The Dallas Morning News reports that a federal voting rights lawsuit filed against the city of Irving, Texas, and its nine city council members alleged that the at-large voting system effectively denied representation to Hispanics.  

The lawsuit requested that the court declare that the at-large election system violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and requested the development of a new system of electing the city council. The article referred to discussions about creating single-member districts. 

Attorney Bill Brewer of Brewer Storefront represented plaintiff Manuel Benavidez, who twice ran unsuccessfully for the Irving City Council. Brewer said the city was the best place to “start the debate.”  

“This is the body that is most directly involved in municipal affairs across the board,” Brewer said.  

He added that Hispanics should determine at least some council seats in a city where more than one-third of the population is Hispanic.  

"You would have an enriched community if you had different points of view at the table debating matters of municipal policy and municipal affairs,” Brewer said.