January 2013 Group Watch: “No Need for Federal Input”
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange says the state’s practice of discriminating against minorities at the ballot box is a relic from a bygone era, and the state no longer deserves to be punished for it. Strange filed a brief to support a challenge brought by Shelby County to two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The provisions require the state to ask the Justice Department or a federal court for approval before making any changes to election procedures. State officials argue that preclearance allows the Justice Department to discriminate against states subject to preclearance and interferes with the state’s regular business by delaying the implementation of changes. The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in late February.
