Source: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2008-title42/html/USCODE-2008-title42-chap20.htm
Timestamp: 2015-05-29 00:24:52
Document Index: 152215523

Matched Legal Cases: ['§1971', '§1974', '§7', '§15', '§15', '§131', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§161', '§1', '§1', '§203', '§1', '§203', '§1', '§1', '§101', '§1972', '§1973', '§1973']

CHAPTER 20—ELECTIVE FRANCHISE
1971.Voting rights.
1972.Interference with freedom of elections.
SUBCHAPTER I–A—ENFORCEMENT OF VOTING RIGHTS
1973.Denial or abridgement of right to vote on account of race or color through voting qualifications or prerequisites; establishment of violation.
1973a.Proceeding to enforce the right to vote.
1973b.Suspension of the use of tests or devices in determining eligibility to vote.
1973c.Alteration of voting qualifications; procedure and appeal; purpose or effect of diminishing the ability of citizens to elect their preferred candidates.
1973d, 1973e.Repealed.
1973f.Use of observers.
1973g.Repealed.
1973h.Poll taxes.
1973i.Prohibited acts.
1973j.Civil and criminal sanctions.
1973k.Termination of assignment of observers.
1973l.Enforcement proceedings.
1973m.Omitted.
1973n.Impairment of voting rights of persons holding current registration.
1973o.Authorization of appropriations.
1973p.Separability.
1973q.Construction.
SUBCHAPTER I–B—SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS
1973aa.Application of prohibition to other States; “test or device” defined.
1973aa–1.Residence requirements for voting.
1973aa–1a.Bilingual election requirements.
1973aa–2.Judicial relief; civil actions by the Attorney General; three-judge district court; appeal to Supreme Court.
1973aa–3.Penalty.
1973aa–4.Separability.
1973aa–5.Survey to compile registration and voting statistics.
1973aa–6.Voting assistance for blind, disabled or illiterate persons.
SUBCHAPTER I–C—EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD VOTING AGE
1973bb.Enforcement of twenty-sixth amendment.
1973bb–1.“State” defined.
1973bb–2 to 1973bb–4. Repealed.
SUBCHAPTER I–D—FEDERAL ABSENTEE VOTING ASSISTANCE
Part I—Recommendation to States
1973cc to 1973cc–3. Repealed.
Part II—Responsibilities of Federal Government
1973cc–11 to 1973cc–15. Repealed.
1973cc–21 to 1973cc–26. Repealed.
SUBCHAPTER I–E—VOTING RIGHTS OF OVERSEAS CITIZENS
1973dd to 1973dd–6. Repealed.
SUBCHAPTER I–F—VOTING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED
1973ee.Congressional declaration of purpose.
1973ee–1.Selection of polling facilities.
1973ee–2.Selection of registration facilities.
1973ee–3.Registration and voting aids.
1973ee–4.Enforcement.
1973ee–5.Relationship to Voting Rights Act of 1965.
1973ee–6.Definitions.
SUBCHAPTER I–G—REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND OVERSEAS VOTERS IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE
1973ff.Federal responsibilities.
1973ff–1.State responsibilities.
1973ff–2.Federal write-in absentee ballot in general elections for Federal office for absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.
1973ff–3.Use of single application for all subsequent elections.
1973ff–4.Enforcement.
1973ff–5.Effect on certain other laws.
1973ff–6.Definitions.
SUBCHAPTER I–H—NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION
1973gg.Findings and purposes.
1973gg–1.Definitions.
1973gg–2.National procedures for voter registration for elections for Federal office.
1973gg–3.Simultaneous application for voter registration and application for motor vehicle driver's license.
1973gg–4.Mail registration.
1973gg–5.Voter registration agencies.
1973gg–6.Requirements with respect to administration of voter registration.
1973gg–7.Federal coordination and regulations.
1973gg–8.Designation of chief State election official.
1973gg–9.Civil enforcement and private right of action.
1973gg–10.Criminal penalties.
SUBCHAPTER II—FEDERAL ELECTION RECORDS
1974.Retention and preservation of records and papers by officers of elections; deposit with custodian; penalty for violation.
1974a.Theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of records or papers; penalties.
1974b.Demand for records or papers by Attorney General or representative; statement of basis and purpose.
1974c.Disclosure of records or papers.
1974d.Jurisdiction to compel production of records or papers.
1974e.“Officer of election” defined.
§1971. Voting rights
(C) employ any literacy test as a qualification for voting in any election unless (i) such test is administered to each individual and is conducted wholly in writing, and (ii) a certified copy of the test and of the answers given by the individual is furnished to him within twenty-five days of the submission of his request made within the period of time during which records and papers are required to be retained and preserved pursuant to title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 [42 U.S.C. 1974 et seq.]: Provided, however, That the Attorney General may enter into agreements with appropriate State or local authorities that preparation, conduct, and maintenance of such tests in accordance with the provisions of applicable State or local law, including such special provisions as are necessary in the preparation, conduct, and maintenance of such tests for persons who are blind or otherwise physically handicapped, meet the purposes of this subparagraph and constitute compliance therewith.
(A) the term “vote” shall have the same meaning as in subsection (e) of this section;
(B) the phrase “literacy test” includes any test of the ability to read, write, understand, or interpret any matter.
Whenever any person has engaged or there are reasonable grounds to believe that any person is about to engage in any act or practice which would deprive any other person of any right or privilege secured by subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the Attorney General may institute for the United States, or in the name of the United States, a civil action or other proper proceeding for preventive relief, including an application for a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order. If in any such proceeding literacy is a relevant fact there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any person who has not been adjudged an incompetent and who has completed the sixth grade in a public school in, or a private school accredited by, any State or territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico where instruction is carried on predominantly in the English language, possesses sufficient literacy, comprehension, and intelligence to vote in any election. In any proceeding hereunder the United States shall be liable for costs the same as a private person. Whenever, in a proceeding instituted under this subsection any official of a State or subdivision thereof is alleged to have committed any act or practice constituting a deprivation of any right or privilege secured by subsection (a) of this section, the act or practice shall also be deemed that of the State and the State may be joined as a party defendant and, if, prior to the institution of such proceeding, such official has resigned or has been relieved of his office and no successor has assumed such office, the proceeding may be instituted against the State.
In any proceeding instituted pursuant to subsection (c) of this section in the event the court finds that any person has been deprived on account of race or color of any right or privilege secured by subsection (a) of this section, the court shall upon request of the Attorney General and after each party has been given notice and the opportunity to be heard make a finding whether such deprivation was or is pursuant to a pattern or practice. If the court finds such pattern or practice, any person of such race or color resident within the affected area shall, for one year and thereafter until the court subsequently finds that such pattern or practice has ceased, be entitled, upon his application therefor, to an order declaring him qualified to vote, upon proof that at any election or elections (1) he is qualified under State law to vote, and (2) he has since such finding by the court been (a) deprived of or denied under color of law the opportunity to register to vote or otherwise to qualify to vote, or (b) found not qualified to vote by any person acting under color of law. Such order shall be effective as to any election held within the longest period for which such applicant could have been registered or otherwise qualified under State law at which the applicant's qualifications would under State law entitle him to vote.
When used in the subsection, the word “vote” includes all action necessary to make a vote effective including, but not limited to, registration or other action required by State law prerequisite to voting, casting a ballot, and having such ballot counted and included in the appropriate totals of votes cast with respect to candidates for public office and propositions for which votes are received in an election; the words “affected area” shall mean any subdivision of the State in which the laws of the State relating to voting are or have been to any extent administered by a person found in the proceeding to have violated subsection (a) of this section; and the words “qualified under State law” shall mean qualified according to the laws, customs, or usages of the State, and shall not, in any event, imply qualifications more stringent than those used by the persons found in the proceeding to have violated subsection (a) in qualifying persons other than those of the race or color against which the pattern or practice of discrimination was found to exist.
The Civil Rights Act of 1960, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(C), is Pub. L. 86–449, May 6, 1960, 74 Stat. 86, as amended. Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 is classified generally to subchapter II (§1974 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note below and Tables.
This Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is Pub. L. 85–315, Sept. 9, 1957, 71 Stat. 634, as amended, which enacted sections 1975 to 1975e and 1995 of this title and section 295–1 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, amended this section and sections 1343 and 1861 of Title 28, repealed section 1993 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 1975 of this title.
In subsec. (e), “section 3331 of title 5” was substituted for “Revised Statutes, section 1757 (5 U.S.C. 16)” on authority of Pub. L. 89–554, §7(b), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 631, the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
1965—Subsecs. (a), (c). Pub. L. 89–110, §15(a), struck out “Federal” before “election” wherever appearing.
Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 89–110, §15(b), redesignated subsecs. (g) and (h) as (f) and (g), respectively, and repealed former subsec. (f) which defined “Federal elections”.
1957—Pub. L. 85–315, §131, substituted “Voting rights” for “Race, color, or previous condition not to affect right to vote” in section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), and added subsecs. (b) to (e).
Pub. L. 109–246, §1, July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 577, as amended by Pub. L. 110–258, §1, July 1, 2008, 122 Stat. 2428, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 1973a to 1973c, 1973f, 1973j to 1973l, and 1973aa–1a of this title, repealing sections 1973d, 1973e, and 1973g of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1973 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Ce�AE1sar E. Cha�AE1vez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. Vela�AE1squez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006’.”
Pub. L. 102–344, §1, Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 921, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1973aa–1a of this title] may be cited as the ‘Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992’.”
Pub. L. 99–410, §1, Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 924, provided that: “This Act [enacting subchapter I–G of this chapter, sections 608 and 609 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 3406 of Title 39, Postal Service, amending sections 2401, 3627, and 3684 of Title 39, repealing subchapters I–D and I–E of this chapter, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1973ff of this title] may be cited as the ‘Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act’.”
Pub. L. 97–205, §1, June 29, 1982, 96 Stat. 131, provided: “That this Act [enacting section 1973aa–6 of this title, amending sections 1973, 1973b, and 1973aa–1a of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1973, 1973b, 1973aa–1a and 1973aa–6 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982’.”
Pub. L. 91–285, §1, June 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 314, provided: “That this Act [designating existing provisions of Pub. L. 89–110 as subchapter I–A, enacting subchapters I–B and I–C of this chapter, and amending sections 1973b and 1973c of this title] may be cited as the ‘Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1970’.”
Pub. L. 86–449, §1, May 6, 1960, 74 Stat. 84, provided that: “This Act [enacting subchapter II of this chapter and sections 837, 1074, and 1509 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and amending this section and sections 241 and 640 of Title 20, Education] may be cited as the ‘Civil Rights Act of 1960’.”
Pub. L. 85–315, pt. V, §161, Sept. 9, 1957, 71 Stat. 638, provided that: “This Act [enacting former chapter 20A of this title and section 1995 of this title and section 295–1 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, amending this section and sections 1343 and 1861 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and repealing section 1993 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Civil Rights Act of 1957’.”
Pub. L. 89–110, §1, Aug. 6, 1965, 79 Stat. 437, provided that: “This Act [enacting subchapters I–A, I–B, and I–C of this chapter and amending this section] shall be known as the ‘Voting Rights Act of 1965’.”
Act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, §1, 69 Stat. 584, which provided that such Act, which enacted subchapter I–D of this chapter and repealed sections 301 to 303, 321 to 331, 341, and 351 to 355 of Title 50, War and National Defense, was to be cited as “The Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955”, was repealed by Pub. L. 99–410, title II, §203, Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 930.
Pub. L. 94–203, §1, Jan. 2, 1976, 89 Stat. 1142, which provided that Pub. L. 94–203, which enacted subchapter I–E of this chapter, was to be cited as “Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975”, was repealed by Pub. L. 99–410, title II, §203, Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 930.
Pub. L. 98–435, §1, Sept. 28, 1984, 98 Stat. 1678, provided that: “This Act [enacting subchapter I–F of this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act’.”
Pub. L. 103–31, §1, May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 77, provided that: “This Act [enacting subchapter I–H of this chapter and section 3629 of Title 39, Postal Service, and amending sections 2401 and 3627 of Title 39] may be cited as the ‘National Voter Registration Act of 1993’.”
Section 701 of Pub. L. 86–449 provided that: “If any provisions of this Act [see Short Title note above] is held invalid, the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.”
Pub. L. 98–473, title I, §101(j), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 1963, provided that: “It is the sense of the Congress that—
“(1) voter registration drives should be encouraged by governmental entities at all levels; and
“(2) voter registration drives conducted by State governments on a nonpartisan basis do not violate the provisions of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (42 U.S.C. 4728, 4763).”
§1972. Interference with freedom of elections
Air Force inserted to conform to section 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 502, which established a separate Department of the Air Force, and Secretary of Defense Transfer Order No. 40 [App. A(10)], July 22, 1949, which transferred certain functions to the Air Force. Section 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces”, which in sections 8010 to 8013 continued Department of the Air Force under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Air Force.
Section was formerly classified to section 32 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.
§1973. Denial or abridgement of right to vote on account of race or color through voting qualifications or prerequisites; establishment of violation
1982—Pub. L. 97–205 redesignated existing provisions as subsec. (a), struck out the comma after “voting”, substituted “in a manner which results in a denial or abridgement of” for “to deny or abridge”, inserted “, as provided in subsection (b) of this section” after “in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section 1973b(f)(2) of this title”, and added subsec. (b).
1975—Pub. L. 94–73 substituted “race or color, or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section 1973b(f)(2) of this title” for “race or color”.
Section 6 of Pub. L. 97–205 provided that: “Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the amendments made by this Act [see Short Title of 1982 Amendment note below] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [June 29, 1982].”
This subchapter and subchapters I–B and I–C of this chapter known as the “Voting Rights Act of 1965”, see Short Title note set out under section 1971 of this title.
“(a) Purpose.—The purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 2006 Amendment note set out under section 1971 of this title] is to ensure that the right of all citizens to vote, including the right to register to vote and cast meaningful votes, is preserved and protected as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“(b) Findings.—The Congress finds the following:
“(1) Significant progress has been made in eliminating first generation barriers experienced by minority voters, including increased numbers of registered minority voters, minority voter turnout, and minority representation in Congress, State legislatures, and local elected offices. This progress is the direct result of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 [this subchapter and subchapters I–B and I–C of this chapter].
“(A) the hundreds of objections interposed, requests for more information submitted followed by voting changes withdrawn from consideration by jurisdictions covered by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and section 5 [42 U.S.C. 1973c] enforcement actions undertaken by the Department of Justice in covered jurisdictions since 1982 that prevented election practices, such as annexation, at-large voting, and the use of multi-member districts, from being enacted to dilute minority voting strength;
“(B) the number of requests for declaratory judgments denied by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia;
“(C) the continued filing of section 2 [42 U.S.C. 1973] cases that originated in covered jurisdictions; and
“(D) the litigation pursued by the Department of Justice since 1982 to enforce sections 4(e), 4(f)(4), and 203 of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1973b(e), (f)(4), 1973aa–1a] to ensure that all language minority citizens have full access to the political process.
“(6) The effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been significantly weakened by the United States Supreme Court decisions in Reno v. Bossier Parish II and Georgia v. Ashcroft, which have misconstrued Congress’ original intent in enacting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and narrowed the protections afforded by section 5 of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1973c].
Section 208 of Pub. L. 94–73 provided that: “If any amendments made by this Act [enacting sections 1973aa–1a and 1973aa–5 of this title, amending this section and sections 1973a to 1973d, 1973h, 1973i, 1973k, 1973l, 1973aa, 1973aa–2, 1973aa–3, 1973bb, 1973bb–1 of this title, and repealing sections 1973bb–2 to 1973bb–4 of this title] or the application of any provision thereof to any person or circumstance is judicially determined to be invalid, the remainder of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 [this subchapter and subchapters I–B and I–C of this chapter], or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such determination.”
§1973a. Proceeding to enforce the right to vote
Whenever the Attorney General or an aggrieved person institutes a proceeding under any statute to enforce the voting guarantees of the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment in any State or political subdivision the court shall authorize the appointment of Federal observers by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management in accordance with section 1973d 1 of this title to serve for such period of time and for such political subdivisions as the court shall determine is appropriate to enforce the voting guarantees of the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment (1) as part of any interlocutory order if the court determines that the appointment of such observers is necessary to enforce such voting guarantees or (2) as part of any final judgment if the court finds that violations of the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment justifying equitable relief have occurred in such State or subdivision: Provided, That the court need not authorize the appointment of observers if any incidents of denial or abridgement of the right to vote on account of race or color, or in cont