Some City Council members predict that the redistricting lawsuit will actually end up decreasing the number of Black council members.
“That’s not always going to necessarily be an African-American candidate, but the goal is to ensure that voters actually have a chance to vote for a candidate that represents their values and their needs,” Henry said.“I think in reality, District 9 and District 14 are well-suited to elect Democrats, not only because of the party affiliation margins but because I think we have strong candidates on the ballot,” Henry said.
The interim map redrew lines for districts 7, 8, 9 and 10. They still favor Democrats, but by widely varying margins. The interim map also increased the share of Black residents in redrawn District 14. "The numbers show that a Democrat and a person of color is poised to represent this district on City Council," he said."I'm not saying it's easy."