Historically, we've tried to remedy such inequality by gerrymandering a certain number of districts so that a particular minority group is made into the majority. But this can have the effect of excluding other racial minorities within that district. What's more, districts drawn for racial representation are becoming increasingly risky, as they have come under judicial fire with some racial districts being tossed out by the courts. Also, the inability of single-seat districts to fairly represent diversity within the districts exacerbates tensions between urban and suburban areas. Republicans have given up trying to win in most cities, which are racially-mixed and usually Democratic strongholds.
Republicans tend to concentrate instead on the white suburbs.
This polarization has far-reaching ramifications for cities since Republican legislatures have little to gain politically by supporting urban policy. Not surprisingly, a number of states are being sued over spending discrepancies in school funding between urban and suburban areas. The national dialogue on race must move beyond conversation to identify real-world institutional barriers that perpetuate and exacerbate the racial divide. Fortunately, other options exist. From 1870 to 1980, Illinois used cumulative voting in three-seat districts to elect its lower house.