Category Archives: Voting Rights Act

How is the SCOTUS Opinion in Bond Like NAMUDNO?

June 3, 2014, 12:16 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Richard Re: The doctrine of one last chance holds that the Court must stay its hand once — but just once — before issuing immediately disruptive decisions. This precept most obviously arose in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No.… Continue reading

Shelby County Appeals Loss of $2 Million Attorney Fee Request to DC Circuit

June 3, 2014, 7:33 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Following up on this post, in which I said that the lower court’s denial of fees “seems a sensible result to me, but it raises a number of issues of first impression, so there could be an appeal,” there is… Continue reading

Alabama Redistricting Case at SCOTUS Roundup

June 2, 2014, 8:33 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

NYT, WaPo, WSJ And at Al.com: Could redistricting challenge before U.S. Supreme Court affect Alabama 2014 elections? There’s a precedent for a do-over As noted this morning the Court noted probable jurisdiction in these cases, limiting the questions… Continue reading

“Franita Tolson: Voting rights at a crossroads”

June 2, 2014, 8:57 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

This oped appears in the Tallahassee Democrat.

“Supreme Court to hear Ala. redistricting challenge”

June 2, 2014, 7:13 amredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

AP: “The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider a challenge from Alabama Democrats who say a Republican-drawn legislative map intentionally packs black Democrats into a few voting districts, giving them too little influence in the Legislature.” This will… Continue reading

“Savior Through Severance: A Litigation-Based Response to Shelby County v. Holder”

June 1, 2014, 3:23 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Cody Gray has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review). Here is the abstract: On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Shelby County v. Holder, ruling that the coverage formula in… Continue reading

“88 Religious Organizations Write Congress in Support of Voting Rights Legislation”

May 30, 2014, 10:51 amVoting Rights Act, VRAARick Hasen

Bend the Arc letter.

“NAACP Legal Defense Fund Calls on State of Alabama to Stop Using Discriminatory Voucher Test”

May 29, 2014, 1:59 pmelection administration, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Press release: In clear violation of the Voting Rights Act, the State of Alabama has proposed a set of rules that will require an otherwise eligible voter who lacks the required photo identification to prove his or her identity… Continue reading

Linda Greenhouse on the Supreme Court and Ideological Polarization

May 28, 2014, 6:56 pmcampaign finance, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Here.

California Appellate Court Rejects Palmdale Challenge to California Voting Rights Act Injunction

May 28, 2014, 5:54 pmVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can find the opinion here. Justice Mosk, concurring but expressing some doubts, adds this footnote: “It does seem incongruous that the injunction perpetuates those in office who were selected by what is deemed to be an election that… Continue reading

Federal District Court Denies $2 Million Attorneys Fees Request to Shelby County Plaintiffs

May 28, 2014, 1:18 pmVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can find Judge Bates’ 35-page thoughtful opinion here (via Mike Scarcella). The judge’s main point is that Congress did not intend attorneys fees in cases in which a plaintiff was not enforcing voting rights under the Fifteenth Amendment… Continue reading

“Alaska Natives Applaud Introduction of Native Voting Rights Act of 2014 in the Senate”

May 23, 2014, 7:26 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Press release: Earlier today, Senator Mark Begich introduced a bill in the United States Senate to protect Alaska Native voters from discrimination. Senator Begich’s bill, the “Native Voting Rights Act of 2014” (“NatiVRA”), would require close scrutiny of the… Continue reading

“N.C. voting law opponents file for preliminary injunction; state asks lawsuits be thrown out”

May 20, 2014, 9:48 amelection administration, The Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Winston-Salem Journal: “The U.S. Department of Justice and a group of plaintiffs, including the N.C. NAACP, are seeking to block provisions of North Carolina’s voting laws that they say will keep blacks from voting in the Nov. 4 general election.… Continue reading