Category Archives: Voting Rights Act
“How Jeff Sessions could determine the state of democracy in Texas”
Reveal:
Federal judges have ruled four separate times this year that Republican leaders in Texas rigged election systems to discriminate against minority voters, which potentially could land the entire state under federal oversight.
Under what’s known as preclearance, local and… Continue reading
“Reflections of a Voting Rights Litigator on the Sixtieth Anniversary of Martin Luther King’s ‘Give us the Ballot’ Speech”
“U.S. For Voting Rights Advocates, Court Decision Is ‘Temporary Victory’”
Michael Wines in the NYT:
It seemed like an important victory for voting rights advocates on Monday when the Supreme Court declined to reconsider an appellate decision striking down North Carolina’s restrictive voting law. But those who follow the arcana… Continue reading
The Texas Redistricting Cases are Likely the Next Big Voting Cases to Come to the Supreme Court
With the North Carolina voting case gone, I’ve seen some suggestions that the Texas voter id case is the next big voting rights case to make it to SCOTUS.
I don’t think that’s right. That case won’t be decided… Continue reading
Why Did the Chief Justice Write Separately in North Carolina and Texas Voting Cases?
Today Chief Justice Roberts wrote separately in connection with the Supreme Court decision not to hear the North Carolina voting case, underlining the procedural irregularities of the case and noting it was not a decision on the merits.
The Chief… Continue reading
North Carolina Passes Another Strict Voting Law at Its Peril
There’s already talk of the North Carolina general assembly (which has a veto-proof Republican majority) passing another strict voting rule (over the certain objections of the Democratic governor). This may happen even though the Supreme Court allowed the Fourth… Continue reading
“Despite today’s Supreme Court ruling, the future looks grim for voting rights”
Paul Waldman:
And I promise you that if the Supreme Court upholds the Texas law, we’ll see just what we saw after the court took a knife to the Voting Rights Act: a rush to enact new restrictions in time… Continue reading
“U.S. District Court Rejects Gwinnett County Officials’ Efforts To Block Major Federal Voting Rights Lawsuit”
Release:
A federal district court judge in Georgia agreed that a coalition of plaintiffs representing minority communities has the right to claim the method of electing local officials in Gwinnett County, Georgia denies them from participating equally in electing local… Continue reading
Breaking and Analysis: Supreme Court Denies Cert. in North Carolina Voting Case; Chief Justice Issues Statement
Today the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Fourth Circuit decision holding that a North Carolina voting law (one I’ve called the strictest set of voting rules rolled into one law passed since at least the passage… Continue reading
“The Voting Rights Act May Be Coming Back From the Dead”
Pema Levy for Mother Jones.
Pasadena, TX: “Latinos in heavily segregated city see limited success in pivotal Texas election”
The Guardian:
Pasadena was one of the first places in the country to be placed back under federal supervision after that 2013 ruling. So Saturday’s mayoral and city council elections were keenly watched by civil rights advocates.
Those hoping Pasadena… Continue reading
What To Look for When the Supreme Court Decides the North Carolina Redistricting Case
The Court has already decided one major racial redistricting case this Term, Bethune-Hill, from Virginia. The other major racial redistricting case, Cooper v. Harris, from North Carolina, is now one of three cases outstanding the longest since argument. Cooper involves… Continue reading
Today’s Must-Read: ProPublica’s Jessica Huseman on Texas Voter ID Law, and Its Flawed Implementation
Spoiler alert: Texas does not look good.