Category Archives: Voting Rights Act

It Begins: DOJ Asks for Extra Time in Texas Voter ID Case Because of Likely Change of Positions in Case

January 20, 2017, 2:10 pmDepartment of Justice, election administration, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

DOJ has filed this request for a one month extension of a hearing in the trial court hearing the latest round in the Texas voter id case. The motion, which is opposed by the private plaintiffs in the case but… Continue reading

In Opinion by #SCOTUS Shortlister J. Pryor, Court Strikes 12 Alabama Districts as Racial Gerrymanders, Partial Dissent by Judge Thompson

January 20, 2017, 12:34 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

In a 457 page opinion (including appendices) by Trump #SCOTUS shortlister William Pryor, a three-judge federal district court in the Alabama racial gerrymandering case has struck down 12 challenged Alabama districts as unconstitutional. Judge Myron Thompson, in a separate 120-page … Continue reading

#SCOTUS Does Not Act Yet in TX or NC Election Cases

January 19, 2017, 8:13 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Although the Court granted cert. in two cases today, no word yet on the Texas redistricting case (now up at three conferences) or the North Carolina racial gerrymandering case. There was a chance the Court could have acted on… Continue reading

“In Rare Move, Judge Says Pasadena’s Voting Rules are Racially Discriminatory”

January 17, 2017, 7:44 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

I talked to Texas Standard.

No SCOTUS Action on Texas Voter ID Cert Petition Today

January 17, 2017, 7:28 amelection administration, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Stay tuned (docket).

Does President-Elect Trump Have an Interest in Working for Free Voter IDs?

January 17, 2017, 7:24 amvoter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

From this NY Times story on tensions between the president elect and African-Americans, and a meeting with Martin Luther King III: Mr. King said the session, which included a discussion about voting rights, had been “constructive,” and described Mr. Trump… Continue reading

Judge Imposes Preclearance on Pasadena, TX for 6+ Years, Putting Ball in Trump DOJ’s Court

January 16, 2017, 1:19 pmVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

I reported back on January 6 that a federal district court found that the City of Pasadena, TX intentionally discriminated against Latino voters in changing its city council districting plan. (For background, read Jim Rutenberg’s excellent NYT magazine piece,… Continue reading

“In Texas, a Test of Whether the Voting Rights Act Still Has Teeth”

January 15, 2017, 11:20 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Must-read Manny Fernandez in the NYT on the voting rights case in Pasadena, Texas: Within days of the Supreme Court striking down the heart of the Voting Rights Act in June 2013, the mayor of this working-class industrial city set… Continue reading

Supreme Court, Granting 16 Cases, Says Nothing About Texas Voter ID Case: Tea Leaves

January 13, 2017, 11:44 amelection administration, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Here is today’s Court’s order. What does it mean that there was no order on Texas, despite the fact that the cases was considered and then relisted from last week? It could mean that as early as Tuesday (when the… Continue reading

Breaking: #SCOTUS Halts NC Special Elections Ordered after Finding of Racial Gerrymandering

January 10, 2017, 1:05 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

In (what I consider to be) a surprising development, the Supreme Court has issued this order calling off special elections in North Carolina which had been ordered by a three-judge court following a finding of racial gerymandering. It is possible… Continue reading

Read the Plaintiffs’ #SCOTUS Response to NC Attempt to Stop 2017 Special Elections Ordered Because of Racial Gerrymandering

January 10, 2017, 9:04 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Following up on this post, Plaintiffs’ response is here. North Carolina might file a reply, and then I expect the Chief Justice will refer the matter to the full court for decision. Interestingly, the petition for appeal itself is… Continue reading

Texas Voter ID Cert Petition Relisted for Friday’s #SCOTUS Conference

January 9, 2017, 8:23 amelection administration, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

So noted on the docket. What does this mean? It could mean the Court will agree to hear the case, but that’s no sure thing just from a relist. We’ll just have to sit tight and wait.

North Carolina Files Supreme Court Cert. Petition in Major Voting Law Case; What Happens Now with Democratic Gov. and AG?

January 8, 2017, 12:06 pmelection administration, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Back in July, the Fourth Circuit struck down North Carolina’s “monster” voting law, a law which among other things imposed a strict voter id requirement (later watered down in the face of litigation), cutback early voting, killed same day voter… Continue reading

8th Circuit Denies ACLU Request to Use Cumulative Voting in Ferguson MO. School Board Voting Case

January 7, 2017, 1:57 pmalternative voting systems, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

A few months ago a federal district court ruled that the use of at-large voting in Missouri’s Ferguson-Florrisant school district diluted African-American voting rights in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the Court ordered cumulative voting as a remedy.… Continue reading