[t]he State contends that it has a vital interest in the at-large election of the separate circuit court, chancery court, criminal court and general sessions court judges in Hamilton County. The State contends that the method of electing these judges with their jurisdiction being coextensive with the electorate is a strong factor weighing in favor of finding no violation under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in this case[,]
[I]f an electoral system operates today to exclude blacks or Hispanics from a fair chance to participate, then the matter of what motives were in an official's mind 100 years ago is of the most limited relevance. The standard under the Committee amendment is whether minorities have equal access to the process of electing their representatives.
Plaintiffs must either prove such intent, or alternatively, must show that the challenged system of practice, in the context of all the circumstances in the jurisdiction in question, results in minorities being denied equal access to the political process.
Because [Texas's] interest in maintaining an at-large, district-wide electoral scheme for single member offices is merely one factor to be considered in evaluating the “totality of the circumstances,” that interest does not automatically, and in every case, outweigh proof of racial vote dilution.
because the resolution of a voting dilution claim requires close analysis of unusually complex factual patterns, and because the decision of such a case has the potential for serious interference with state functions, we have strictly adhered to the Rule 52(a) requirements in voting dilution cases and *575 have required district courts to explain with particularity their reasoning and the subsidiary factual conclusions underlying their reasoning ... perhaps in no other area of the law is as much specificity in reasoning and fact finding required, as shown by our frequent remands of voting dilution cases to district courts.
[I]n regard to the four seat configuration [for the Circuit Court] as well as the three seat configuration [for the Criminal Court] proposed by the plaintiffs, the plaintiffs have shown that they would have the ability to elect, and that they can meet the threshold requirements of Gingles. In addition, the Court finds that even if this were not the case, based upon the presence of five of the seven Senate factors in this cause [sic], the plaintiffs have shown that under a totality of the circumstances the result of the use of a single at-large district in regard to the election of Circuit Court Judges, Criminal Court Judges, General Sessions Judges, and Chancellors in Hamilton County dilutes the effectiveness of the minority vote. Armour v. State of Ohio, 775 F.Supp. 1044 (N.D. Ohio 1991). The Court finds that under the facts of this case the minority plaintiffs have been denied equal access to the political process, Chisom v. Roemer, 501 U.S. 380, 111 S.Ct. 2354, 115 L.Ed.2d 348 (1991), and that the defendants have failed to show a compelling state interest which would justify this Section 2 violation.
Rather we believe that the States' interest in maintaining the link between an electoral system—in this case, Texas' interest in maintaining the link between a district judge's jurisdiction and the area of residence of his or her voters—is a legitimate factor to be considered by courts among the “totality of circumstances” in determining whether a Section 2 violation has occurred.... Because the State's interest in maintaining an at-large, district-wide electoral scheme for single-member offices is merely one factor to be considered in evaluating the “totality of the circumstances,” that interest does not automatically, and in every case, outweigh proof of racial vote dilution.
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