The City of Abbeville has responded to a lawsuit filed earlier this week, alleging a violation of federal law.
The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the suit on behalf of the Vermilion Chapter of the NAACP, and seeks to block the Abbeville City Council-approved redistricting map that denies equal representation to voters, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution's One-Person, One-Vote requirement.
We reached out to the city today, and received this statement:
"On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the City of Abbeville was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana. This suit was filed by the Vermilion Chapter of the NAACP and makes allegations that the City of Abbeville has violated federal law by failing to reapportion the voting districts applicable to the Abbeville City Council elections. While the City of Abbeville has had communications with the party that has filed this lawsuit, the city was disappointed to receive notice from a local news agency of this litigation. Mayor Roslyn R. White and the members of the Abbeville City Council approached the issue of apportionment with much research, care and consideration ahead of the unanimous decision to leave the current voting districts in place. The interest of the people of Abbeville are always at the forefront of every decision made by the Council and the Mayor. While specifics of the lawsuit cannot be discussed at this time, the City of Abbeville believes that the facts of this case will show that the current voting districts are not in violation of any voters' rights."
We also received this statement from Abbeville Mayor Roslyn R. White:
“As a new administration, we are focused on creating a more equitable and inclusive city and building a network of resources to tackle the many challenges facing our community. We made our decision to keep the current districts based on data and in good faith that we had the support of the community that has entrusted us to lead the city. I believe that the totality of the facts will support our decision. This issue is now in the hands of the court," she said.
The suit alleges that the Abbeville City Council knowingly enacted a malapportioned map that dilutes the voting power of District B residents, which includes members of the Vermilion Parish NAACP, by packing them into one of four single-member council districts. The 2020 U.S. Census showed that the Abbeville population decreased by 1,000, resulting in an overpopulation in District B – well above the legal limits.
On December 20, 2022, the Abbeville City Council voted unanimously not to reapportion the district map in defiance of the One-Person, One-Vote requirement under the U.S. Constitution — insisting that the 2020 Census results were invalid and did not produce a “substantial variation” in Abbeville’s population. The council rejected multiple compliant maps presented by the Vermilion Parish NAACP and SPLC before deciding to leave the district map as-is.
“This country was built on free labor, the blood, the sweat, and the tears of our ancestors, who suffered and died for us because they had a vision of better days for their future generations,” said Vermillion Parish NAACP President Linda Cockrell. “Past generations have fought and struggled because they too had a vision. This generation and generations to come will not STOP FIGHTING because they too will have the vision that states ‘Chained and Bound’ no more because ‘we will break every chain’ by remembering that we are One!”
“I believe in fair and equal representation for all people,” said Marilyn Mitchell, a citizen of Abbeville. “Everyone deserves to have their vote count.”
The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires legislative districts, regardless of location, to provide equal representation and voting power for all citizens. Louisiana law also requires municipalities to examine their apportionment plan within one year after the release of the decennial census to determine whether a new apportionment plan is needed. The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the City Council to draw a map that complies with federal law.
“Abbeville City Council’s decision to not reapportion following the 2020 U.S. Census denies equal representation,” said SPLC Staff Attorney Ahmed Soussi. “This is an abuse of power that undermines the voting rights of the residents of District B including Vermilion NAACP members. We are suing to end this illegal and harmful practice.”
The lawsuit filed by Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of the Vermilion Parish NAACP can be read below:
This embed map shows the status of redistricting challenges for congressional and state legislative boundaries in the states. This map is current as of Oct. 5, 2023, and will update as events merit.
Source: AP reports.
