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.