The Maryland American Civil Liberties Union this week has asked the U.S. Justice Department to reopen the Voting rights Act challenge to Wicomico County’s council structure filed in 1987.
The move comes after ACLU officials challenged the redistricting of the Salisbury City Council and were told that it was drawn on the same basis as the County.
The ACLU argues that the structure of the County Council and the presence of two at large districts continues to marginalize minorities in local government.
Deborah Jeon, the legal director of the Maryland ACLU told the Salisbury Daily Times, that her organization believes that the 5-2 hybrid system “does shut out African Americans.”
The Council currently consists of four white men, two white women and one African American woman.
The ACLU says that since the hybrid system was put into place no African-Americans or other racial minorities have been elected to the at-large council seats.
Council Member Sheree Sample-Hughes, the only African American on the council and represents the majority-minority district told the paper that it was premature to make any type of decision on the council’s structure.
