Language Minority Provisions of the Voting Right Act

Language Minority Provisions of the Voting Right Act

By EditorFeb 04, 2015
The U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse. Many regions have significant populations for which English is not their first language, to address this the Voting Rights Act was amended to include the minority language provisions of section 203. Section 203 of the VRA requires registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, to be provided in the language of an applicable minority in jurisdiction where: citizens of voting age in a single language group within the jurisdiction: Is more than 10,000, or Is more than five percent of all…
Redistricting, Redistricting Race Rules, ,
Read More
Case Filing: Harding v. County of Dallas, Texas

Case Filing: Harding v. County of Dallas, Texas

By EditorJan 30, 2015
In January, Anglo voters in Dallas County represented by the Equal Voting Rights Institute filed a minority vote dilution claim against the majority minority County Commissioners Court's 2010 redistricting map, which it describes as "dilut[ing] the overall influence of the Anglo minority in Dallas so that, even if cross-over voting allowed an Anglo preferred candidate to win the County Judgeship, Anglos could not obtain control of the Commissioners Court. It did so, even though it meant dividing political subdivisions, and exaggerating the population disparities between CCDs (whether measured by total population or by CVAP) far beyond the ideal distribution." Read…
Casedocs, Redistricting Race Rules, , ,
Read More
Case Filing: Patino v. City of Pasadena

Case Filing: Patino v. City of Pasadena

By EditorJan 30, 2015
Voters represented by the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund filed suit this past November claiming minority vote dilution against the City of Pasadena, Texas. At issue is a change in the voting procedures for the eight member city council. Voters in the city recently passed a proposition to change from eight single member districts to a hybrid system of six single member districts and two at-large seats. Plaintiffs claim that this "will reduce Hispanic voting strength and will impede Hispanic voters’ ability to elect candidates of choice in subsequent in Pasadena City Council elections."   Read the Complaint here.
Casedocs, Redistricting Race Rules, ,
Read More
Listen: Supreme Court Oral Argument in Alabama Racial Gerrymander Case

Listen: Supreme Court Oral Argument in Alabama Racial Gerrymander Case

By EditorDec 08, 2014
  Listen to the Supreme Court's oral arguments in the consolidated cases; Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama and  Alabama Democratic Conference v. Alabama. Democratic lawmakers in the Alabama legislature claim the Republican-led legislature packed Black voters into state legislative districts to dilute their voting power resulting in an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The court heard oral arguments on November 12th 2014.    
Equal Protection, LAW, NEWS, POLICY and PRACTICE, Race in Redistricting, Racial Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race Rules, ,
Read More
Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Alabama Gerrymander is a Racial or Partisan One.

Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Alabama Gerrymander is a Racial or Partisan One.

By EditorDec 08, 2014
NPR previews Ala. Legis. Black Caucus v. Alabama; a claim alleging that the Alabama state legislature's 2010 legislative redistricting map is a racial gerrymander. Alabama says the Voting Rights Act made them create the map. Listen below. http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=363375057&m=363458938&t=audio  
Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race Rules,
Read More
One Year After Shelby, Growing Focus Toward Local Elections

One Year After Shelby, Growing Focus Toward Local Elections

By EditorJul 30, 2014
Since the Supreme Court invalidated the Department of Justices’ authority to enforce the preclearance requirements of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, voting rights organizations including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) insist a deluge of local election activity designed to disenfranchise African-American voters and political candidates will ensue. It has been just over one year since the Shelby decision, in which the court deemed the coverage formula for the act’s preclearance provision unconstitutionally outdated. In this election year, the question now becomes appropriate; Deluge or not? A quick check of the national headlines for the past year or…
Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race Rules
Read More