DOJ: Rick Perry's Texas Congressional Redistricting Map Violates Voting Rights Act

[highplainsdem]

Source: Talking Points Memo

The Justice Department said Monday that Texas' state House and congressional redistricting plans didn't comply with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), indicating they thought the maps approved by Gov. Rick Perry (R) gave too little voting power to the growing Latino population in the state.

Officials with DOJ's Civil Rights Division said the proposed redistricting plan for the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the state Senate complied with the Voting Rights Act, but indicated they had concerns with the state House plan and the plan for congressional redistricting.

The federal government " that the proposed Congressional plan, as compared with the benchmark, maintains or increases the ability of minority voters to elect their candidate of choice in each district protected by Section 5," DOJ lawyers write in a filing. "Defendants deny that the proposed Congressional plan complies with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act."

Texas is picking up four new seats in the House of Representatives next year because of its expanding Latino population. Their population went up over 90 percent in the period between the 2000 and 2010 censuses. But civil rights groups have taken issue with the redistricting process, signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry, because they say it puts Latino voters at a disadvantage.

-snip-

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/justice_department_signals_concerns_with_rick_perrys_texas_redistricting_map.php

[Firebrand Gary]

1. I think all of this election engineering validates this question of the 2000 election theft.

I just don't see how it couldn't.

[DCKit]

2. And that's just ONE of several very effective tactics.

They're going to throw everything they've got at 2012.

[Metta]

3. Halleh, freaking, luyah. The DoJ is taking a stand.

Let's see how much they follow through on this.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. K&R

[gtar100]

5. What?! Republicans trying to rig elections?

I thought this was a center-right country and they had all elections in the bag because their ideas were just so awesome.

Water's wet, the sky is blue, and republicans cheat. The natural order of things.

[PatrynXX]

7. Gee Wisconsin kinda proved like 3 times this year

they rig elections just fine in one county . state controlled by one woman. and her access program

[Grassy Knoll]

6. GOP can't beat Obama without cheating.......

or any dem for that matter.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. LAWS, are for democrats.

GOPers are exempt.