Forty one Asian American groups want to uphold Voting Rights Act

Yesterday, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), a 35-year old national civil rights organization, filed an amicus “friend of the court” brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of 41 Asian American groups, urging the Court to uphold the constitutionality of the enforcement provision of the Voting Rights Act in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder. AALDEF’s pro bono counsel is Proskauer Rose LLP.

Glenn D. Magpantay, AALDEF staff attorney said, “Asian Americans have continued to face discriminatory obstacles in exercising their right to vote. The Supreme Court should uphold the Voting Rights Act.”

The enforcement provision, known as “Section 5,” requires jurisdictions with a history of voting discrimination to get approval from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing changes in voting procedures and practices, in order to ensure that the changes will not make it more difficult for racial and ethnic minorities to exercise their right to vote. The lower court upheld the provision.

Above: President George W. Bush signs the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.

For more on the brief and other groups involved http://www.aaldef.org/docs/08-322_AALDEF_Amicus_Brief.pdf