For decades, despite the fact that Charleston County is nearly 40% African American, the at-large method of voting for members of the nine-member County Council allowed for no more than one African American to occupy a seat at any given time.

DAW and the Department of Justice joined forces to combat this discriminatory voting method. After an extensive federal trial and appeal, the courts ordered the voting method changed to single-member districts. In just one election cycle, three new African-Americans were elected to County Council and the county immediately embraced the priorities of a once-forgotten constituency.