CASE SUMMARY

On March 7, 2014, a Sumter County resident filed a federal lawsuit against the County’s Board of Elections and Registration challenging the County School Board’s new election method, with five members elected from single-member districts and two elected at-large, as diluting Black voters’ voting strength in violation of § 2 of the Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). Plaintiff sought a court order requiring the County School Board to be restored to its prior nine-member, single-district election method and implementing a new redistricting plan as well as an injunction barring the County from holding the 2014 elections until a new method was implemented.

  • On July 14, 2015, the federal district court granted summary judgment for the County, finding plaintiff failed to show white voters consistently vote as a bloc so as to usually defeat the minority voters’ preferred candidate. Plaintiff appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
  • On July 28, 2016, the Eleventh Circuit reversed and remanded the case back to the district court, citing improper credibility determinations as to expert witnesses during the summary judgment phase.
  • On March 17, 2018, the district court held the School Board’s election method violated § 2 and ordered the County to devise a remedial plan.
  • On August 17, 2018, the district court enjoined the defendants from holding their 2018 School Board elections since there wasn’t time for the court to issue a new interim map before election day.
  • On September 23, 2019, the district court appointed a special master to create a remedial plan and on January 29, 2020, the court adopted the special master’s plan. Defendant appealed both decisions to the Eleventh Circuit.
  • On October 27, 2020, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s decisions.

CASE LIBRARY

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division - No. 1:14-cv-42

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - No. 15-13628

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division - No. 1:14-cv-42

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - No. 18-11510 [consolidated with Nos. 18-13510 & 20-10394]