YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — The ACLU of Washington says it plans a news conference Wednesday to announce the filing of a major voting rights lawsuit against the city of Yakima.

The group declined to provide details Tuesday.

The Yakima Herald-Republic previously reported that the ACLU began investigating how City Council members are elected last year, after council members refused to put an initiative on a special ballot requiring that all seven members represent a specific district.

Yakima has three council members who represent districts and four at-large members.

Civil rights advocates contend the method blocks minority representation, but Yakima voters defeated an initiative to change it in last year's primary.

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