Shelby County files Voting Rights Act appeal with U.S. Supreme Court

[struggle4progress]

Source: Birmingham News (AL.com)

Published: Friday, July 20, 2012, 1:00 PM
Updated: Friday, July 20, 2012, 3:00 PM
By Mary Orndorff Troyan -- Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Shelby County took its challenge of the Voting Rights Act to the U.S. Supreme Court today, asking the justices to declare part of the 1965 law an unfair burden on states such as Alabama where the federal government still oversees elections for evidence of racial discrimination.

Shelby County is appealing two lower court decisions that upheld the constitutionality of the landmark civil rights-era law. If the Supreme Court justices agree to accept the case, they'll schedule it for oral arguments sometime after they return in October, and it would be one of the highest-profile cases of the court's 2012-13 term ...

While the Voting Rights Act outlaws discrimination against minority voters across the country, only 16 states are required to have all of their election procedures reviewed by the U.S. Justice Department, meaning they can't move a polling place or change a district line without permission. It is this section of the law that Shelby County is challenging as unconstitutional, as well as the formula Congress used to determine which states are subject to the extra scrutiny ...

Also Friday, another challenge to the Voting Rights Act was filed from North Carolina, where lawyers argued the justices should accept both related cases.

Read more: http://blog.al.com/sweethome/2012/07/shelby_county_files_voting_rig.html

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Voting Rights Act petition reaches Supreme Court
WASHINGTON | Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:29pm EDT

(Reuters) - ... The appeal targets only Section 5 of the law, which says states with a history of discrimination must get permission from the federal government before changing election procedures.

The challenge was filed by supporters of a 2008 Kinston, North Carolina, measure that would omit candidates' party affiliations from ballots.

The Obama administration used Section 5 to block the Kinston measure in 2009, saying that black voters would be more likely to vote for the wrong person under the new rules ...

Kinston lawyers asked the court to also consider a pending appeal from Shelby County, Alabama, which agrees with Kinston that Section 5 unfairly targets selected governments based on a decades-old formula ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/20/us-usa-voting-rights-challenge-idUSBRE86J16U20120720

[elleng]

1. 'Scuse me!

[bluestateguy]

2. The idea of black and Hispanic people voting really scares some people

In an unguarded moment of candor I'm sure these affluent white Southerners would say they are just fine with going back to the days of property qualifications and whites only voting. But they'll never say it directly.

Fortunately, we'll still have the VRA for this election at least.

[titanicdave]

3. During 1963

and 1964, I was stationed at For McClellan Alabama while in the U S Army. The people I saw and talked with at that time were rabid segregationists and not at all friendly to northerners like me either. I was called damn yankee many times. To make matters more intense, my best friend at For McClellan was a black man. Wherever I was, he was and wherever he was, I was. I was called (N word) lover and told to go home top where I belong more times than I can remember. It sounds like the thinking in the deep south has not really changed. What a pity.

[RedStateLiberal]

4. Stupid rednecks!

Or, in other words, my neighbors.

I live a few miles from this county. Please don't think that everyone in bumfuck Alabama is a racist idiot. It's hard enough being a red-state Liberal.

I was born and raised here and have spent most of my time doing this -->

[juajen]

5. Yeah, tell me about it!

I proudly live in Louisiana. Lafayette is a charming place to live with food to die for. Sometimes I feel as if we are an island. Jindal is a horrible governor. Hope we do better next time. When I first moved here, Edwin Edwards was governor. He served time in jail for something most governors do as a matter of course. The battle royal in this state continues. We do have a lot of very loyal dems in this state, but we are constantly made fun of on DU. I am always reminding posters that no state has all dems, or republicans. We all need to have more respect for others. No state is an island, and many work hard to improve things in their communities and in the state and country they live in.

[elleng]

6. A good friend of mine, from high school in Long Island, NY,

lived in Lafayette for many years, raised her daughter there; she's recently moved to Denver to be near her daughter. Will see her at our reunion in September, and hope to talk with her about the place; been curious for years.

Been to NO once, and definitely don't have same thought/feelings/attitudes about LA as I have about AL. I admit to my prejudices. NEVER want to go there, and they sure as heck should continue to be scrutinized for voting issues.

[RedStateLiberal]

7. Yup, all states are purple.

I'm surprised we don't get more support for living in 'hostile territory.'

Louisiana is a great state. I've enjoyed visiting there many times.

Always good to meet another left-leaning southerner!

[blkmusclmachine]

8. GOP to AAs/Latinos: "Don't Vote: It's Too Complicated And Stuff"

HA!



Did you hear about Operation Northwoods?