        |
|
| Web Editor: | |
| Vernellia R. Randall Professor of Law The University of Dayton Web Editor |
|
     |
|
Debunking an Urban Myth |
| QUESTION: Is this a true statment? "We are quickly approaching the 21st Century and I was wondering if anyone out there knew what the significance of the year 2007 is to Black America? Did you know that our right to vote will expire in the year 2007? Seriously! The Voters Rights Act signed in 1965 by Lyndon B. Johnson was just an ACT. It was not made a law. In 1982 Ronald Reagan amended the Voters Rights Act for only another 25 years. Which means that in the year 2007 we could lose the right to vote |
| ABSOLUTELY NOT! The right to vote is guaranteed by the
constitution and no "law" ; nor the expiration of
a law can take that away. Voters Right Act is a law that outlawed
certain practices which states implemented as a means of
keeping blacks away from the polls. (such as poll
taxes and literacy tests). It also provide for federal
monitoring to assure non-discrimination in voting. With the
expiration of the Voters Right Act in 2007, theoretically
states could pass laws requiring a poll tax or literacy
tests. Although they still will not be allowed under the
Constitution to discriminated. So the states can't take away your
right to vote directly because that is a constitutionally
guaranteed right. The real question is whether the states
will pass laws that have the effect of discouraging people
from voting. I tend to think generally they won't. Although
some states may pass ENGLISH ONLY laws for voting affecting
the ability of citizens whose primary language is not english.
The major lost from the failure to re-enact the voting
rights bill is the failure to provide for federal monitoring of
voting fraud. There are still a number of places in the United
States where activites are undertaken to diminish minority
voting efforts. |
-
Please Sign
My Guestbook!View Recent Entries. View
Past Entries.
Links Site Map Gender Health Care Race Whats New Guest Book Homepage
Always Under Construction!
Send questions and comments to:
Vernellia R. Randall
Last Updated:
You are visitor number
since December 31, 1998.
Copyright © 1998. Vernellia R. Randall
All Rights Reserved.
| Submit for Periodic Updates Update List |
|
               |
|
            |
