Little Rock board decides against sending question regarding at-large leadership to voters

The majority of the Little Rock Board of Directors decided Tuesday night to not send a question to voters this November about doing away with at-large leadership on the board.

The 10-member board voted down Ward 1 Director Erma Hendrix’s proposal in a 1-8 vote, with Hendrix not voting.

Director Ken Richardson cast the sole vote in favor.

The ordinance would have had residents vote on a proposal to change the board’s makeup to seven ward representatives by removing the three at-large directors.

Hendrix and supporters of the proposal have said having board seats elected by the city at large disenfranchises black voters and that the current three at-large directors, who are all white, counteract the votes of the board’s three black directors.

Hendrix has repeatedly said she would file a federal lawsuit against the city if the board did not pass her ordinance.

Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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