A group of residents are challenging the Town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County to overhaul its at-large voting system under the newly passed John R. Lewis New York Voting Rights Act. It’s the first claim of its kind under the new law, which seeks to protect the right to vote by addressing issues of voter dilution, suppression, intimidation, deception or obstruction.

The New York Times explored the Mount Pleasant case, noting that the town board has no Latino members, “and no one could recall the last time it had one” – even though, according to the Times, more than half the population of the Village of Sleepy Hollow, within the town, is of Hispanic origin.

Times reporter Grace Wolford spoke to Harris Beach Partner Darius Chafizadeh, Mount Pleasant Town Attorney, for the article. In response to the claim, and with guidance from Darius and Jared Kasschau, co-leader of our Political Law practice, Mount Pleasant resolved to investigate and collect the data needed to assess the residents’ claims that they have been disenfranchised.

Darius told Grace that the Town will respond based on the evidence, and that no option has been ruled out. “Could there be a dispute later on? Sure,” he said, of a future lawsuit. “Could there be a way to compromise and create wards? Sure. All options are on the table as far as the town is concerned.”