aGameOfThrones
02-27-2013, 03:24 PM
Central parts of an election law dating back to the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, the Voting Rights Act, appeared to be in jeopardy Wednesday after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a challenge to them.
NBC’s Pete Williams reported after the oral argument that key provisions of the 1965 law “are in big trouble. The question is how far will the Supreme Court go” in striking down parts of the law?
The justices were weighing an appeal from Shelby County, Ala., asking the court to find that Congress exceeded its power when it renewed the two key sections of the law in 2006. A decision is expected before the court ends its current term this coming June or July.
Under Section 5 of the law, nine states, mostly in the South, but also including Alaska and Arizona, as well as dozens of counties, townships, cities, and elected boards in other states, must get permission, or “preclearance,” from the Justice Department or a federal court in Washington for any change in voting procedures, no matter how small, that they seek to make.
The formula used to determine which states and other jurisdictions are covered by the preclearance requirement is set forth in section 4 of the law.
“It’s pretty safe to say that there at least five votes to strike down” either section 4 or section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, “either the coverage formula or preclearance totally,” Williams reported.
Williams added what seemed to concern a majority of the justices was “the fact that the law is too backward looking.”
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/27/17118509-key-provisions-of-voting-rights-act-appear-in-jeopardy-after-high-court-argument?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1
NBC’s Pete Williams reported after the oral argument that key provisions of the 1965 law “are in big trouble. The question is how far will the Supreme Court go” in striking down parts of the law?
The justices were weighing an appeal from Shelby County, Ala., asking the court to find that Congress exceeded its power when it renewed the two key sections of the law in 2006. A decision is expected before the court ends its current term this coming June or July.
Under Section 5 of the law, nine states, mostly in the South, but also including Alaska and Arizona, as well as dozens of counties, townships, cities, and elected boards in other states, must get permission, or “preclearance,” from the Justice Department or a federal court in Washington for any change in voting procedures, no matter how small, that they seek to make.
The formula used to determine which states and other jurisdictions are covered by the preclearance requirement is set forth in section 4 of the law.
“It’s pretty safe to say that there at least five votes to strike down” either section 4 or section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, “either the coverage formula or preclearance totally,” Williams reported.
Williams added what seemed to concern a majority of the justices was “the fact that the law is too backward looking.”
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/27/17118509-key-provisions-of-voting-rights-act-appear-in-jeopardy-after-high-court-argument?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1