Jan 17, 2025 Story by: Editor
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated legal action against Fayette County, accusing its Board of County Commissioners of violating the Voting Rights Act with the adoption of its 2021 redistricting plan. In a news release, the DOJ stated that the plan allegedly deprived Black voters in the city of an equal chance to elect candidates of their choice.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, contends that the commissioners “intentionally rejected multiple districting proposals that would have united Black communities into districts where they could elect representatives of their choice.”
Fayette County Mayor Rhea “Skip” Taylor acknowledged the county is reviewing the lawsuit but refrained from offering additional comments, according to the Tennessee Lookout. Source: Tennessee Bar Association