A federal judge has ruled that Dodge City’s elections don’t discriminate against Latinos

TOPEKA, Kan. — A federal judge has ruled that a Latino majority’s voting rights aren’t violated by the election system in the former Wild West town in Kansas that inspired the long-running television series “Gunsmoke.” U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren concluded that Dodge City’s practice of electing all five of its city commissioners at large does not prevent candidates backed by Latino voters from holding office. The city issued a statement Thursday saying that Melgren’s ruling “recognizes our effort to represent everyone who makes Dodge City their home” and said the city commission seeks to build “a stronger, more vibrant, and diverse community where all viewpoints are valued.” “It is unfortunate that we have spent significant taxpayer dollars to defend our position, taking away from our ability to utilize the funds to make our community better,” the statement said. Melgren did conclude that Coca and Rangel-Lopez showed that Dodge City’s Latino population is large enough and concentrated enough in certain parts of the city to control at least one hypothetical commission district. The judge also concluded that the plaintiffs also showed that Latinos in Dodge City “vote in significant numbers for the same candidates.” But Melgren noted that a test set decades ago by the U.S. Supreme Court required the two Dodge City residents to demonstrate that Latino voters “usually” cannot elect candidates they prefer.