Proponents of an ‘English Only’ charter amendment have filed a lawsuit, charging the Metro Legal Department and the Election Commission of unfairly ruling against them.
Former Davidson County Republican Party Chair Jon Crisp says the lawsuit is about more than this charter amendment, which would require all Metro Government communications to be in English.
“It’s a greater matter than just this English First issue. It’s a matter whether voters have a right to be heard on the ballot or an arbitrary administrative decision can keep that from happening.”
About 12,500 voters signed a petition to put the “English Only” amendment on the ballot.
Earlier this week, the Election Commission voted 3 to 2 to keep the charter amendment off the November ballot. This was after the Metro Legal department ruled that the amendment is three days shy of the two year moratorium required between voter-led ballot initiatives.
Crisp says in the late 1990s there were several charter amendment proposals which also fell a few days short of the moratorium. He says those were allowed to be on the ballot.
Davidson County Election Administrator Ray Barret could not confirm Crisp’s charge.
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