Tracking the geography of racism
This Mother Jones story discusses this new paper by Chris Elmendorf and Doug Spencer, trying to tease out distinctions among jurisdictions potentially relevant to a new VRA coverage formula.
Category Archives: Voting Rights Act
Joey Fiskin discusses the SCOTUS opinions of the week
Yet again, worth a read. The title of his Balkinization piece:
Q. What’s worse than discrimination? (A) Accusations of bigotry. (B) Stopping discrimination.
More here.
Congressional plans in the aftermath of Shelby County
TPM takes a look at Congressional plans … and finds that they, too, “remain[ ] a mystery.”
DOJ plans in the aftermath of Shelby County
This National Law Journal piece discusses — in necessarily preliminary fashion — DOJ plans for voting rights enforcement going forward. “The Justice Department did not respond to questions about the enforcement strategy following the decision” . . . so most… Continue reading
“Voting Rights Ruling: It Had to Happen Sometime”
This opinion piece repeats a claim I’ve heard often recently: section 5 buttressed Republican political fortunes by helping Republicans with control over redistricting overpack Democrats; now, things will change.
That’s a claim that still strikes me as wrong. If Republicans… Continue reading
“Rove: Bush was skeptical of Voting Rights Act”
The comment about White House skepticism in 2006 comes from Karl Rove’s remarks at Aspen.
“SCOTUS Ruling Ensures Lever Machines a Go in NYC Elections”
That’s right, lever machines. Now, without the need to preclear their use in upcoming municipal elections. For elections technology in New York, time doesn’t seem to pass: it just is.
I do have a question about the legality of… Continue reading
Reactions to Shelby County: Sam Bagenstos
And really, it’s a reaction to many of the decisions of the week:
Martin Luther King famously said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. If the Supreme Court’s recent decision to invalidate… Continue reading
“Voting Rights after Shelby County v. Holder”
A truly all-star cast offers this webcast sponsored by Brookings, this Monday from 10am-4pm eastern.
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965: One Vote,One Voice.”
This is the title of a remarkable website chronicling the history of the Voting Rights Act. It generously incorporates multimedia exhibits taken from primary sources, and looks to be an exceptional resource.
And what really blows my mind is that… Continue reading
“The Supreme Court’s Other Voting Rights Decisions This Week”
Frontline covers the Texas remands.
“Louisiana’s voter ID law from 1997 eases effects of Supreme Court decision”
An interesting take on the aftermath of Shelby County in Louisiana. Again, not all voter ID laws are the same.
Everybody’s playing the long game
Following the thrust of Rick Hasen’s commentary on Shelby County, Adam Liptak discusses the gestation period of the Court’s jurisprudence.
Still more reactions to Shelby County
Jessica Levinson: Who’s Killing the Voting Rights Act, Congress or the Supreme Court?
Janai Nelson: The cost of America’s first black president
David Dante Troutt: The Supreme Court’s race impatience
David and Janai’s pieces are both in the excellent Reuters… Continue reading