Spring Branch ISD in violation of Voting Rights Act, federal judge rules

Spring Branch ISD in violation of Voting Rights Act, federal judge rules

The Houston school district, which has an at-large voting system for school board members, was ordered to create a new system with either seven single-member districts based on geography or five single-member districts and two at-large trustee positions.

Judge: Spring Branch ISD violated Voting Rights Act by diluting Hispanic vote with at-large elections

Federal judge: Spring Branch ISD’s election system violates law, must be changed

A federal judge ruled Monday that Spring Branch ISD’s election system violates the Voting Rights Act and must be changed to give Latino residents more opportunity for representation on the district’s school board.The ruling caps a roughly four-year legal battle and adds to the growing number of school districts forced to change how voters elect trustees. U.S. District Court Judge Sim Lake ordered Spring Branch to switch after this May’s board el…