I too hope the political pressure and activism keeps the Charter Commission from adding it to the ballot but the added backstop of near-certain litigation means it would be an expensive fight for the city and ugly politics trying to implement it.

I don’t know that anyone is claiming it’s a slam dunk.

I’m unaware of any federal or state VRA claims in RCV jurisdictions (state-level VRAs are a very recent trend) and the MNVRA is a relatively new law that has never been litigated. Federal precedent doesn’t mean much.

It certainly doesn’t pass the eye/smell test.

The problems are (1) that these cases are expensive (2) this would be the first of its kind under the MNVRA and (3) scotus (where this could ultimately end up) is more concerned with “reverse racism” than actual racism

More races for our out-of-town interests to spend their dollars!

Yes, it’s allowed under the charter and in the abstract. Someone would need to litigate against it and the claims are generally quite hard to bring….

However given MPLS’s racial segregation and the resulting outcomes (allowing the whiter wards more council influence) I don’t think it would stand

Sections 200.50-200.60 of the Minnesota Statutes

Probably me. I love to point out that the MNVRA likely prohibits moving to at-large seats because it would be a pretty clear attempt at minority vote dilution

…. Moving towards at-large districts which would be a clearer minority voters dilution attempt given how ward v. citywide elections turnout

The existing at-large seats for school board and park board *could be* but the MNVRA doesn’t specifically prohibit at-large seats. Any challenge would still need to demonstrate vote dilution for minority voters.

The argument is stronger when applied to city council because it would require…

The idea has come up frequently and it hasn’t been challenged legally yet but at-large city council districts are likely unlawful under the MN Voting Rights Act passed in 2023.