Washington State, now a few cases away from federal oversight under the Sensenbrenner Voting Rights Act amendments after this ruling in Yakima  And another case the Voting Section at Holder’s Department of Justice could have brought and won, but didn’t (See, Operation Amicus, Litigating from the Sidelines):

U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice delivered a summary judgment in a closely watched civil rights case.  The ruling could have broad ramifications about representation — more accurately, lack of representation — of Eastern Washington’s growing Hispanic population.

The judge ordered successful plaintiffs, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the city back to court on October 3, to begin working out a remedy.  The remedy is likely to involve electing Yakima City Council members by district instead of at-large voting in general elections.