In a near unanimous decision released earlier today the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District v. Holder (08-322) that political jurisdictions covered under the Voting Rights Act must continue to seek approval from the
Justice Department before making changes in election procedures. As a result major changes to Texas election law specifically a Voter Photo ID requirement and the 2011 redistricting plans will be subject to review and approval by the Obama Justice Department.
The Court did expand the type of jurisdictions that could request the right to bailout" of the pre-clearance requirements. Prior to the Courts decision only a State or political subdivision" was allowed to seek approval from the Washington DC District Court to be relieved from pre-clearance requirements.
The term political subdivision was previously defined to include counties parishes and voter-registering subunits.
In the decision today the bailout option was expanded to include all governmental subdivisions including Municipal Utility Districts like the one in Austin that sought Supreme Court relief.
In its decision the Court said We therefore hold that all political subdivisions that not only those described in Section 14 (c)(2) are eligible to file a bailout suit."
The decision is especially important given that new Legislative and Congressional District lines will be drawn in 2011. This will be the first redistricting cycle that plans will be reviewed by a Democratic Justice Department.
In 2003 the Bush Justice Department approved mid-decade congressional redistricting plans even though the experts cited several specific violations of the Voting Rights Act.
This story is from www.LoneStarProject.net
In a near unanimous decision released earlier today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District v. Holder (08-322) that political jurisdictions covered under the Voting Rights Act must continue to seek approval from the Justice Department before making changes in election procedures. As a result major changes to Texas election law specifically a Voter Photo ID requirement and the 2011 redistricting plans will be subject to review and approval by the Obama Justice Department.
The Court did expand the type of jurisdictions that could request the right to bailout" of the pre-clearance requirements. Prior to the Courts decision only a State or political subdivision" was allowed to seek approval from the Washington DC District Court to be relieved from pre-clearance requirements.
The term political subdivision was previously defined to include counties parishes and voter-registering subunits.
In the decision today the bailout option was expanded to include all governmental subdivisions including Municipal Utility Districts like the one in Austin that sought Supreme Court relief.
In its decision the Court said We therefore hold that all political subdivisions that not only those described in Section 14 (c)(2) are eligible to file a bailout suit."
The decision is especially important given that new Legislative and Congressional District lines will be drawn in 2011. This will be the first redistricting cycle that plans will be reviewed by a Democratic Justice Department.
In 2003 the Bush Justice Department approved mid-decade congressional redistricting plans even though the experts cited several specific violations of the Voting Rights Act.
This story is from www.LoneStarProject.net
