"We expect it ultimately to be upheld," he said of the order to end at-large voting.

In Islip, population 330,000, government has been controlled for decades by one party, the Republicans, and at-large voting has amounted to an incumbency protection program.

The remaining seven use combinations of districts and at-large voting.

Other lawsuits have attacked another structure said to limit Hispanic representation: the prevalance of at-large voting for school boards and city and county councils.

In the last 10 years, the department has filed about 40 cases challenging electoral systems in the South, most against at-large voting.

All are elected using plurality at-large non-partisan voting.

Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms.

In the early 1980s, election of senators changed from separate districts to at-large voting.

Both the general ticket and the short ballot are often considered at-large or winner-takes-all voting.

Once the Republican party regained control of the state legislature, the method of elector selection was switched back to at-large popular voting.