Federal Trial on Dodge City, Kansas, Voting Rights Violations Starts
Dodge City, Kan. (February 26, 2024) – A landmark federal trial, Coca v. City of Dodge City, is set to begin today, challenging the city’s at-large commission election system. Filed in December 2022, the case highlights the concerns over the dilution of Latino votes and seeks to ensure equitable representation in local governance.
The plaintiffs, represented by the UCLA Voting Rights Project (UCLA VRP), American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Kansas, and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, argue that this method of election violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, calling for immediate reform towards a district-based election system.
Latino residents comprise 65% of Dodge City’s total population, 59% of its voting-age population, and 46% of its citizen voting-age population. Despite growing quickly over time, the Latino population is underrepresented on the commission because the city’s white population has largely voted as a bloc against their preferred candidates. Expert analysis of elections from 2014 and 2022 provided to the court found clear evidence that Hispanic-preferred candidates receive significantly higher support in heavily Hispanic districts but perform poorly in heavily white districts, typically costing them the election.
“This lawsuit addresses a long-standing issue that has marginalized Latino community voices in the electoral process of the city,” said Sonni Waknin, program manager and voting rights counsel at the UCLA VRP. “By challenging the at-large voting system, we are not just fighting for equitable representation; we are advocating for the fundamental rights of every resident to be heard and respected in the democratic fabric of our society. This case is a significant step towards ensuring the Latino community’s full participation in shaping the future of Dodge City and setting a precedent for the protection of voting rights statewide.”
WHEN: The trial is set to begin on Monday, Feb. 26, at 8:30 a.m. and will last five days. UCLA VRP attorneys will be available for comment throughout the trial.
WHERE: U.S. District Court, 401 N. Market, Wichita, Kansas https://ksd.uscourts.gov/
ABOUT THE UCLA VOTING RIGHTS PROJECT
The UCLA Voting Rights Project is the marquee advocacy project of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, and is focused on voting rights litigation, research, policy, and training. The UCLA Voting Rights Project addresses monumental and overlooked gaps in the field of voting rights: how to train young lawyers and researchers, support the development of new legal and methodological theories for voting rights cases, and how to advance policy work to ensure that there is a new generation of leaders who are pursuing efforts to guarantee all citizens have equal and fair access to our democracy. The project was founded by Chad W. Dunn, J.D., and Matt Barreto, Ph.D. The UCLA Voting Rights Project is located within the Luskin School of Public Affairs.
To learn more about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit latino.ucla.edu/votingrights
