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Lawsuit Challenges Election Commission Decision
Supporters of a Charter Amendment to declare English the official Language are taking their fight to court.
The group Nashville English First filed a lawsuit Thursday in hopes of getting the issue on the November ballot.
The move comes after Tuesday's decision by Metro's Election Commission to leave the Amendment off the ballot even though more than 10 thousand voters signed a petition in favor of it.
A majority on the Commission felt not enough time has passed since the last Charter Amendment vote to legally have a new one because the November 4th vote will come less than two years after the last Charter Amendment vote.
City Charter stipulates that there has to be two years between the time petitions are submitted.
The attorney for Nashville English First says that decision is depriving voters of their rights. and they hope to have it resolved in time for the November election.
"We're gonna push it as quickly as we can there is certainly a danger this will be stalled by the department of law. I hope that doesn't happen," said Nashville English First Attorney Jim Roberts.
Attorneys say the Commission set a precedent in the 90's allowing Charter Amendment votes to occur with less than two years separation.
An Amendment vote proposed by Metro Council in 1998 was allowed even though it was a few days shy of the two year anniversary of a 1996 vote.
Metro's legal department feels that vote was different than the English First because it was requested by the Council. The Commissioner who cast the deciding vote Tuesday says that opinion was one reason he voted to keep the Amendment off the ballot.
"Yes there is a difference because this is a people's petition," said Election Commission Chair Eddie Bryan.
Lawsuit Challenges Election Commission Decision
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