Category Archives: Voting Rights Act
Analysis: Texas Redistricting Decision Major Victory for Voting Rights Bar and May Pave Way for Texas to Be Back under Federal Supervision
Last night I linked to the extensive ruling and findings of fact and conclusions of law in a very long-running dispute about whether Texas’s congressional districting were a violation of the Voting Rights Act and/or the Constitution. I have now… Continue reading
Breaking: District Court, Splitting 2-1, Finds Some Texas Congressional Districts Violate Voting Rights Act or Constitution
The long awaited lengthy opinion on the congressional plan, with a dissent by Judge Smith, is here. The numerous findings of fact and conclusions of law are here. (The court has not released findings yet on the state… Continue reading
NC Gov, AG File Reply Brief Arguing #SCOTUS Should Dismiss Cert. Petition in Controversial Voting Case
Brief:
All of the petitioners in this case have moved to withdraw the pending petition. Thus, under normal operation of this Court’s rules, the petition should be dismissed. See S. Ct. R. 46.2(a).
Seeking to derail this ministerial process, the… Continue reading
“Ga. Republican Redistricting Plan Called ‘Blatant’ Power Grab”
WABE:
Thousands of metro Atlanta voters would find themselves in different state House districts under a Republican plan that Democrats allege reduces the influence of minority voters.
Similar moves in other states have been challenged in federal courts, according to… Continue reading
“Breaking down barriers for black Terrebonne Parish voters”
Marc Morial has written this oped for Nola.com.
“Patrons Walk Out As Ala. Official Pushes Voter ID At Selma Anniversary Service”
TPM:
After Alabama’s Secretary of State John Merrill promoted the state’s voter ID law at a church service held Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of a civil rights milestone in Selma, patrons walked out.
The service at Brown Chapel African… Continue reading
Breaking and Analysis: Supreme Court Decides Bethune-Hill, the VA Racial Gerrymandering Case
The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Kennedy (joined by the Court’s liberals and Chief Justice Roberts) has affirmed in part and reversed in part the Virginia racial gerrymandering case, Bethune-Hill v. Va. State Board of Elections. Justice… Continue reading
Marc Joseph Stern Dispatch from Texas Voter ID Hearing Said It Went Well for Plaintiffs, Despite DOJ Flip
I Talked to Texas Standard About DOJ’s About-Face on Texas’s Voter ID Law
Listen.
“Justice Department asks court to dismiss claim of discrimination in Texas voter ID case”
Ariane de Vogue for CNN.
“Justice Dept. Drops a Key Objection to a Texas Voter ID Law”
Manny Fernandez and Eric Licthblau in the NYT:
The Justice Department remains a party in the case. But it is pulling back at a crucial phase. If a judge finds the state acted with discriminatory intent, as the Justice Department… Continue reading
“Justice Department changes its position in high-profile Texas voter-ID case”
Sari Horwitz for WaPo:
The practical effect of the Justice Department’s decision is that civil rights groups will continue, without the backing of the federal government, to contest the purpose of the Texas law.
“DOJ’s reversal in position defies rationality… Continue reading
Breaking: NC General Assembly Will Object to Dismissing #SCOTUS Suit over Strict NC Voting Law, Moves to Add as Petitioner
Well, we’ve been expecting this. Here’s a motion to be filed at the Supreme Court objecting to NC AG’s motion to dismiss the cert. petition in the controversial NC voting case. And here’s a motion to add the Legislature and… Continue reading