The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland says that the at-large voting district with a majority-minority district in Salisbury violates the Voting Rights Act given the changing demographics of the city.
African Americans now make up over 34 percent of Salisbury’s population as opposed to only 16 percent in 1986 when the current two district formula was developed.
The ACLU has informally submitted two redistricting plans for consideration by city officials that are variations of those proposed by Mayor Jim Ireton last November.
The ACLU has basically endorsed the Mayor’s five district plan…that would provide for two majority-minority districts.
