Justice Department says Euclid's elections policy discriminates against blacks

Associated Press:

The U.S. Department of Justice has threatened to sue the city if officials don't restructure the election process so black candidates have a better chance at holding public office.

In a letter dated Monday, Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim tells Law Director Chris Frey that the process weakens minority ballots in the racially divided Cleveland suburb where votes are cast along racial lines.

Kim is prepared to sue pending the outcome of a settlement of the matter between the Justice Department and the city.

The city is 30 percent black. However, no black person has been elected to any local seat.

At issue is the City Council voting system. Each of four wards elects a representative; four additional council members and the council president are elected citywide. In 2005, all five citywide office holders were from the same ward.

Kim, who heads up the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, suggests that black candidates would fare better if the city were split into eight wards, each electing its own council member.

Frey said changing the voting system would require a citywide vote or a court order.

Mayor Bill Cervenik said the Justice Department should consider the number of minorities who vote as well as the city's lack of black candidates.

"I'm very convinced that the city of Euclid has done nothing wrong — at least not intentionally," Cervenik said.

Cervenik and City Council President Ed Gudenas said they recruited a black candidate last year but she decided not to run. Three black candidates ran for council in 2003. None ran in 2005.

Euclid accused of bias in voting