Category Archives: Voting Rights Act
“The Voting Rights Act Might Get Some Teeth Back; Thanks to an appeals ruling, Texas’ discriminatory voting laws could end up under federal oversight.”
I have written this piece for Slate. it begins:
This week’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit—holding that Texas’ strict voter identification law violates the Voting Rights Act—is good news for those who believe such… Continue reading
“Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law”
Pam Fessler reports for NPR.
She says Texas has not yet decided whether or not to appeal to the Supreme Court. I explained yesterday why such an appeal would have long odds.
First Roundup of Texas Voter ID Stories and Releases
Eric Eckholm for the NYT
Ariane de Vogue for CNN
Jess Bravin of CNN (and this Law Blog post)
Bob Barnes for WaPo
Zack Roth NBC
Pam Fessler for NPR
Dallas Morning News
Brennan Center
Campaign Legal Center
Lawyers’ … Continue reading
Wisconsin Voter ID Decision Roundup
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Reuters
WSJ
AP
And here is my earlier post, discussing the chances of success on appeal, if Wisconsin appeals.
Here’s Why We Still Need Federal Oversight of Voting under the VRA, Part 3,249
News from NC:
Early voting sites in two of Winston-Salem’s prominent minority neighborhoods are in jeopardy after the Forsyth County Board of Elections approved a plan last week that moves sites at Winston-Salem State University’s Anderson Center and the Sprague… Continue reading
Breaking: Federal District Court Softens WI Voter ID Law, Allowing Affidavit in Place of ID
You can find Judge Adelman’s 44-page order here.
I’m about to jump on a call, and so I will post more later. But suffice to say that this is a very big deal, and at first blush (subject to… Continue reading
“Lawyers’ Committee Expresses Disappointment with U.S. Department of Justice Decision to Terminate Critical Federal Observer Program”
Release:
The Justice Department (DOJ) has stated that it will no longer deploy federal observers inside polling sites, a long-standing and critical component of its election monitoring efforts. The Justice Department announced that it will cease dispatching federal election… Continue reading
Get Ready for a Big Week on Texas Voter ID
Reminder on SCOTUS’s soft July 20 deadline to the 5th Circuit.
Justice Ginsburg Has “Impossible Dream” of Overturning Citizens United Before She Leaves SCOTUS
She tells NYT’s Adam Liptak:
Asked if there were cases she would like to see the court overturn before she leaves it, she named one.
“It won’t happen,” she said. “It would be an impossible dream. But I’d love to… Continue reading
“Democrats Get Serious About Voting Rights”
Jonathan Bernstein for Bloomberg View.
“Lawsuit Claims State Blocking Birmingham Minimum Wage Hike Violates Voting Rights Act”
From AL.com on the amended complaint, which adds Alabama Legislative Black Caucus as a plaintiff.
Nick Stephanopolous’s “Race, Place and Power”
Now on SSRN. Here’s the abstract:
A generation ago, the Supreme Court upended the voting rights world. In the breakthrough case of Thornburg v. Gingles, the Court held that minority groups that are residentially segregated and electorally polarized are… Continue reading
Rep. Judy Chu on VRA Fix
NBC Op-Ed, in what appears to be a concerted effort to mobilize APA support for the VRAA.