Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

The Supreme Court Struck Down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, the Provision of the Landmark Civil Rights Law that Designates which Parts of the Country must have Changes to their Voting Laws Cleared by the Federal Government or in Federal Court, by Rejecting the Formula used to determine Preclearence.

The Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 (H.R. 4), is a Bill that establishes New Criteria for Determining which States and Political Subdivisions must obtain Preclearance before Changes to Voting Practices may take Effect.

The Bill was Sponsored by Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL, 7 District) and was Passed by the House on 12/06/2019 by a Vote of 228-187.

The Senate on 12/09/2019, Received and Read Twice and Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, were it still is.

Preclearance is the Process of Receiving Preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making Legal Changes that would affect Voting Rights.

A State and All of its Political Subdivisions shall be Subject to Preclearance of Voting Practice Changes for a 10-year period if:

(1) 15 or more Voting Rights Violations occurred in the State during the Previous 25 years.

OR

(2) 10 or more Violations occurred during the Previous 25 years, at least One of which was Committed by the State itself. A Political Subdivision as a Separate Unit shall also be Subject to Preclearance for a 10-year Period if Three or More Voting Rights Violations occurred there during the Previous 25 years.

A State or Political Subdivision that Obtains a Declaratory Judgment that it has Not used a Voting Practice to Deny or Abridge the Right to Vote shall be Exempt from Preclearance.

The Bill specifies Practices that All Jurisdictions must Preclear before Implementing.

The Bill Expands the Circumstances under which:

(1) a Court may Retain the Authority to Preclear Voting Changes made by a State or Political Subdivision.

OR

(2) the Department of Justice may Assign Election Observers.

States and Political Subdivisions must Notify the Public of Changes to Voting Practices.

The Bill Revises the Circumstances under which a Court must Grant Preliminary Injunctive Relief in a Challenge to Voting Practices.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker