THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 14, 1994 TAG: 9409140531
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANCIE LATOUR, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
The City Council voted 6-2 Tuesday to mount a legal challenge to the U.S. Justice Department's ruling that at-large School Board elections violated federal laws mandating black representation.
The council instructed City Attorney Ronald S. Hallman to pursue legal means of appealing the federal agency's decision.
The Justice Department said earlier in June that past City Council elections - which are held at-large - show a pattern of ``persistent and severe polarization along racial lines'' that has caused black candidates to lose. Based on that pattern, the civil rights division of the department concluded that the city failed to prove that the at-large method would not discriminate against black School Board candidates as well.
Chesapeake residents last November voted by a 5-1 margin for elected school boards. However, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires Virginia and seven other states to get federal permission to change any election law or district boundary.
The first School Board elections, slated for November 1994, could be delayed by a court battle.
The council debated the issue behind closed doors before voting. Mayor William E. Ward and Councilman Alan Krasnoff voted against the measure.
There was little discussion from council members. However, Ward read a statement decrying the council action.
``I have implored the council to comply with federal voting rights requirements,'' Ward said. ``The action you will take tonight will delay elections voted for by the citizens of Chesapeake for up to two to three years. . . . The action you will take will also result in the political exclusion of certain groups that have been included in the past.''
Ward has been a steady proponent of creating individual wards for School Board elections. He spoke several times with Justice Department officials before their ruling, and has said the city should get started drawing lines for new election districts.
The council's Republicans have been staunch defenders of the at-large system. by CNB