Court again finds intentional voter discrimination in Texas
Source: Associated Press
Court again finds intentional voter discrimination in Texas
Originally published April 20, 2017 at 3:12 pm Updated April 20, 2017 at 4:18 pm
By PAUL J. WEBER
The Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Republican-drawn map setting the boundaries of Texas’ statehouse districts violates the U.S. Constitution by intentionally discriminating against minority voters, a federal court found Thursday — the third such ruling against the state’s voting laws in roughly a month.
The latest ruling means Texas’ strict voter ID law, congressional maps and state legislative maps — all of which were enacted in 2011 — have recently been found in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act.
For Texas, the stockpiling losses carry the risk of a court punishing the state by demanding approval before changing voting laws. The process, known as “preclearance,” was formerly required of Texas and other states with a history of racial discrimination before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act. But the court kept in place the chance that states could again fall under federal oversight if intentional discrimination is found.
Minority rights groups and Democrats could press a three-judge panel in San Antonio over that possibility at a court hearing later this month in San Antonio, when they’re also expected to demand new state and congressional maps for the 2018 elections.
Read more: http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/court-again-finds-intentional-voter-discrimination-in-texas/
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