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This paper examines a variety of explanations for why some active groups are better represented in local bureaucracies than other active groups. An examination of 1397 group-agency relationships in 55 cities resulted in some tentative evidence supporting the following propositions: (1) The organizational structures of groups-their permanency, their cohesion, and their size—do not explain the level of group representa tion in local bureaucracies. (2) The behavioral characteristics of groups—"the public-regardingness" of their demands, the "effectiveness" of their leadership, and the "conventionality" of their style-partially explain variations in group representation. (3) Organizations composed primarily of blacks and especially of low-status citizens tend to adopt some ineffective behaviors—making private-regarding demands, using ineffective leadership, and adopting unconventional styles-which result in reduced representation. (4) The extent to which blacks are underrepresented in local bureaucracies is not fully accounted for by behavioral variables. Part of the underrepresentation of black groups may be due to continuing overt discrimination.

Examines several factors expected to help specify the conditions under which minority voting strength is translated into more competitive minority candidates in at-large city council elections, analyzing precinct- & contextual-level data for city council elections in Corpus Christi, TX, 1983-1997. Using both bivariate & multivariate analyses, findings indicate that the Latino candidate victory margin is likely to be greater when there are both viable candidates & a favorable ratio of Latino to non-Latino candidates with a widely distributed vote among the non-Latino candidates. Voting remains ethnically polarized, & Latino success is not the result of citywide support. Communities considering changing to mixed systems must remain aware of the implications of their design. Factors such as those explored here should be taken into consideration, especially in southwestern cities where, as the Latino population continues to grow, there will be more transition zone cities. With more such cities, the issues surrounding electoral laws & representation are not likely to fade from the political agenda. 4 Tables, 4 Figures. Adapted from the source document.