The Lewisville ISD board of trustees unanimously approved a transition from their current electoral system, which consists of seven at-large seats, to a new system comprising five single-member districts and two at-large seats. This decision was made during a board meeting held on August 28. The implementation of the new system is scheduled for May 2024, coinciding with the upcoming school board election.
The reason behind this change can be traced back to a lawsuit filed against the district in 2022 by Paige Dixon, a plaintiff who had run for a position on the LISD school board in 2021 but was unsuccessful. Dixon and her legal team from the Brewer Storefront firm alleged that Lewisville ISD had violated the Voters Right Act of 1965 by failing to represent the diverse student body adequately.
During the 2021-22 school year, the district’s population consisted of 49,113 individuals, with 30.7% being Hispanic, 15.7% Asian, 12% African American, and 4.6% identifying as two or more races. Under the previous system, with seven at-large members, citizens could vote for each board position. However, the new system will ensure the inclusion of “at least one single-member district comprised of a majority of eligible minority voters,” as stated by the Brewer Storefront.
The lawsuit was resolved on August 18, just ten days prior to the board meeting. All current trustees, who were elected at-large, will continue to serve their full terms. Consequently, the May 2024 elections will only pertain to Single-Member District 1 and At-Large Place 6 positions. In 2025, elections will be held for single-member districts 2 and 3 and At-Large Place 7. Finally, in 2026, the positions for single-member districts 4 and 5 will be open for election.
