Many voting rights groups sue City of Colorado Springs for holding city elections in April

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO) -- The Citizens project, Colorado Latinos Vote, League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak region, and Black/Latino Leadership Coalition are suing the City of Colorado Springs, office of the City Clerk of Colorado Springs, and Sarah Ball Johnson, in her official capacity as city clerk for holding city elections in April. They believe When an election is held—just as where or how an election is held—may result in unlawful racial discrimination.

The City of Colorado Springs is nearly amongst the few of Colorado cities and towns in choosing to hold its municipal elections in April of odd-numbered years. Only three of the 25 most populous Colorado cities or towns stick to this schedule. Most Colorado municipalities hold their local elections in November and have done so for decades.

The organizations argue the timing of Colorado Springs’ elections for City Council and Mayor greatly disadvantages Hispanic and Black residents. Only about 16% of the City’s non-white registered voters participate in these April off-year elections.

On the contrary, they argue the turnout rate for white registered voters is around 32%. In the lawsuit obtained by KRDO Newschannel13, they state "this racial disparity dwarfs those often seen in Voting Rights Act cases."

The unusual timing of Colorado Springs’ municipal elections causes this enormous racial disparity. In elections held in November of even-numbered years, the turnout rate of the city’s non-white registered voters surges to an average of about 64%. The turnout rate of white registered voters rises in November on-year elections, too, but not so dramatically. The ratio of non-white turnout to white turnout therefore spikes by an average of 30 percentage points in November on-year elections—a huge reduction in the racial disparity.