But this year, 22 of 28 Council incumbents who received public matching funds for the general election won with more than 60 percent of the vote.

Others, including some Council incumbents, said the plan had sacrificed fairness to what they called reverse racism.

But one of the commissioners, Luther Blake, argued that the whole plan had the imprint of Council incumbents.

The original lines would have protected most Council incumbents but were criticized by some groups representing Hispanics for failing to recognize the growth of their population.

The nearly 200 coalition members voting on the endorsements spurned at least three Council incumbents who had requested their support, but they embraced four others.

Seven of the candidates the coalition is supporting are running uphill campaigns against Council incumbents.

The proposed changes, coupled with tighter rules for the mailing of official newsletters by Council incumbents, would do much to help persuade candidates to participate.

With only two exceptions, the new lines also placed Council incumbents in protected districts.

But opponents of the repeal bill rejected the suggestion that city voters needed to be saved by the Council incumbents.

But many Council incumbents still haven't signed up.