14-02-2025
Council approves $160,000 in redistricting case
ANDERSON — The redistricting lawsuit filed against the Anderson City Council in 2023 has come to a conclusion.
The city council Thursday voted to approve an appropriation of $160,000 to pay the attorneys for Common Cause of Indiana, the League of Women Voters of Indiana and the local chapter of the NAACP.
Those organizations filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court alleging the six single-member council districts violated federal law based on the one person, one vote requirement of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Councilman Ollie H. Dixon said before action was taken that he would not vote on the funding and left the meeting.
The $160,000 appropriation was approved by a 7-0 vote. Councilman Joe Newman was in not at the meeting.
Last month, the council voted unanimously on a new map for the six council districts developed by the Virginia-based CensusChannel that was accepted by the plaintiffs.
Under the terms of the settlement, the council agreed to pay the attorneys for the plaintiff $136,680 in fees and costs.
Council President Lance Stephenson said in January the council has $50,000 in the 2025 budget and an additional appropriation had to be approved.
As part of the settlement, the council also passed the precinct and district block information for the new map.
Stephenson said that in the opinion of the Rosemary Khoury, the council's attorney, the vote would settle the case.
The federal court dismissed the lawsuit in January after the settlement was reached.
When the lawsuit was filed in 2023, the council hired the Chicago law firm of Henderson Parks to represent it.
The Chicago firm has been paid $150,000 by the city.
Councilman Jeff Freeman said the council has requested a refund from the Chicago firm, which withdrew from the case in December.
The judge ruled last year the council violated the U.S. Constitution by failing to redraw the city's six district maps.
