The Supreme Court will decide whether or not to scale back the landmark Voting Rights Act, which requires states with a history of discrimination at the polls to get federal permission before making any changes in how they conduct elections. NBC's Pete Williams reports.
Agreeing to hear another important case on race in America, the Supreme Court said Friday it will take up a battle over a key part of the landmark Voting Rights Act. Civil rights groups fear the court will use this case to gut the law.
Passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times since then, most recently in 2006, a key provision requires states with a history of discrimination at the polls to get federal permission before making any changes to election procedures -- from redrawing congressional district boundaries to changing the locations of polling places.
The law was at the core of the legal cases this year blocking strict new voter ID laws in Texas and South Carolina.
Shelby County, Ala., claims the pre-clearance requirement -- which currently covers nine entire states, 12 cities and 57 counties elsewhere -- is unconstitutional. Under the law, those states and areas are presumed to be acting improperly whenever they seek election changes and "must either go hat in hand to Justice Department officialdom to seek approval, or embark on expensive litigation in a remote judicial venue," says the lawyer for the county.
The areas covered by the law, Shelby County says, include some localities that have made substantial reforms while missing other parts of the country that have failed to root out discrimination at the polls. "Florida has been forced into pre-clearance litigation to prove that reducing early voting from 14 days to 8 is not discriminatory, when states such as Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania have no early voting at all," the county says.
But the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund says the current map is a close enough fit to cover the areas of greatest concern. "Congress is not a surgeon with a scalpel when it acts to legislate across the 50 states. But it can reasonably attack discrimination where it finds it," the group says.
Three years ago, the Supreme Court narrowly rejected a challenge to the pre-clearance requirement but strongly suggested that several justices had doubts about its constitutionality, given recent electoral reforms. "Things have changed in the South," the court said in 2009. "Blatantly discriminatory evasions of federal decrees are rare."
Last month, the Supreme Court heard another racially charged case, re-examining whether the nation's colleges can use affirmative action in admissions.


The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about in the south is purely white racism. Like it or not, that is the truth. The Republican Party was founded in 1854 on abolitionism, but after the civil war and the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, the Republican Party thought it no longer had any responsibility for the freed slaves. The Democrat Party, however, remained fiercely racist. Slowly the parties began to change their positions. President Lyndon Johnson led the Republic towards civil rights reform in the 1960s, but he lost a lot of Democrats along the way. By 1968, Richard Nixon applied his Southern strategy to recruit white racists away from the Democrats and into the Republican Party. Nixon didn't want them necessarily, but he needed them to win the election. Since then there has been a gradual movement of white racists from the Democrat Party to the Republican. Then, in 2008 with the advent of a black, presidential candidate in the Democrat Party, we saw the vast number of southern white racists in the Democrat Party move to the Republican. All one has to do is to look at the voting statistics, particularly in southern states in 2008 and 2012 and one will see the total numbers of votes for the presidential candidates was overwhelmingly Republican. Not only that, but the southern white racists put Republicans in almost every other office in southern state as well. That means the historically southern, white racists in the Democrat Party shifted their support to the Republican candidate. Everyone in the south knows it! It's the elephant in the room no one talks about in southern politics.
I agree with you, TJefferson.........those Southern Democrats hijacked the Republican Party. They dislike the moderate Republicans. There is a definite tension between the two types of Republicans.
You provided a clear, concise bit of history for us.
you all have thoughtful comments: The situation inside the Republican Party is serious. The poorly educated, far right wing, extremist, fanatics in the Party are moving toward demanding the states' rights doctrine of "Nullification." They argue the Constitution reads that any given state, not the U.S. Supreme Court has the authority to declare a law unconstitutional in any given state. In other words, a state has the constitutional authority to "nullify" a federal law and therefore not obey it within the geographic bounds of that state. It is true that Jefferson and Madison made that argument in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, but it is also true those Resolutions never did pass the Congress. The issue was resolved in 1803 when Chief Justice John Marshall and the U. S.Supreme Court ruled in Marbury vs Madison that the Court had that authority.
The poorly educated, far right wing, extreme, fanatics in the Republican Party today are joining together in an organization called the 10th Amendment Society to demand the states adopt the "nullification doctrine." Why? One of the main reasons is to nullify the 1954 Brown v. Topeka Board of Education decision, the decision that ordered segregation was not constitutional and that the United States would integrate at all deliberate speed. So, if the nullification doctrine were put into place, Arkansas legislature or the Mississippi legislature, or the Alabama legislature could nullify the Brown case and return the state to segregation. Not possible you say? Then, take a look at the voter statistics for those states and see how many whites voted for Obama. Think about that very real possibility and then let your mind run free to all of the other federal laws that could be nullified within the borders of the fifty states. In effect, nullification means that each state is a separate country and that therefore the United States is nothing more than a confederation of united states of america.
I had no idea that was happening!........the 19th Amendment Society, huh? I will have to read up on that.
I really need your help, TJefferson, to bring me up to speed. I would appreciate your pointing out any other issues about which I need to be informed.
I would also appreciate any links that pertain to this Voting Rights case. I did find the site of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
I hope you will always be present on any future Newsvine article that reports on this case so that you can educate all of us on topics relevant to the case.
Correction--the 10th Amendment Society
I'll be glad to do what I can. I hope you'll reciprocate.
That is a kind, modest thing for you to say. I think you are way ahead of me!
A state nullification of a federal law. That would never happen.
Whoops, yes it did.
The states that have legalized the use and selling of marijuana.
What should be done to those states for their transgressions? Or would it be treason?
I suppose it would be impossible to think that perhaps they voted not for Obama because they did not like what he wanted to do? It HAD to be racism?
Hmmm........
You would be a racist to think any other way.
And if that "NC" stands for North Carolina you are a racist.
"The Tarheel State", even your state motto is racist. Wanting to have the black man under the heel of your boot. Shameful.
kpm58
You have a very shallow and distorted comprehension of the concept of nullification. Please take the time to inform yourself and then you will be able to join into the discussion with some relevancy.
No, it didn't HAVE to be. Unfortunately, however, in the vast majority of instances, it WAS.
Starting now today any person who needs an ID should be able to get one. If you move to another state you should be able to get a new ID. If you are a college student but are from another state you should be able to get a ID card and not a license and it can be used along with you college ID. If you are a senior and do not drive you should be able to get an ID card and use it along with you senior card. This is just crazy. Some people move to another state and are not aware of the law in that state. Example: you live in New York City and you move to Virginia, You need a new ID card and nobody should stop you from getting one. Most NYC do not drive so they don't have a license. They do have other ID. Each state needs Id information give to new home owners and renters. It will be up to them to get the ID after living there fr 6 months or more. Do it for every state and their is not problem, don't wait 2 weeks before election day and make it a law. Thats how you lose playing dirty, it comes back to haunt you.
Openvisions, and yet Texas tried something that would have made it difficult for some potential voters to cast their ballot---The Voting Rights Act helped in preventing this from occurring.
Using the Voting Rights Act, groups were able to prevent unfair statutes from going into effect this year.
For instance--
Well they couldn't win by cheating so now the 1% conservatives will call on the Supreme Court 5 to give them a win. Wonder how much the Supreme Court 5 will charge them considering how much they paid to try and buy the 2012 election. Make it worth your while SC5 I know your souls don't come cheap.
Is there anybody wondering why all of these measures to limit access to ID's, voting, etc., are the idea of Republicans?
Gee! I wonder why??!!
Hmm. Could it be they are trying to steal elections they have no chance of winning any more.
"Things have changed in the South," the court said in 2009. "Blatantly discriminatory evasions of federal decrees are rare."
But the more subtle attempts at voter suppression by GOP legislators continue “Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania: done,” Republican House Majority Mike Turzai said. Not even too subtle about the new law. This idiot didnt even try to say it would stop nonexistent voter fraud. He SAID it will allow Romney to win Pennsylvania.
I know I do not want the right wing Supreme Court deciding anything about voting rights. In the South and now even in the North there are republicans who will do everything they can to win an election. That includes many illegal tactics they will devise. Our first priority is to always have fair and just elections. Florida cut the number of early voting days from 14 to 8 and the FL Congress added very long legalize amendments that caused a lot of reading/time for voters. Taking four days to come to a conclusion is pathetic for Florida when other states are so prompt. It was a close election in Florida but they had only one voting site in each county and really seemed to want to cause these problems for voters.
When does all this toxic, tea billy, right wing disturbing crap come to an end??? What the hell??? and this human garbage calls their behavior "Christian".
the real racism here: 94% of "blacks" voted for obama. "whites" split pretty evenly. who is racist? why do we even refer to brown people as black or peach people as white?! am i the only one whose eyes actually work?!
@Roy So 94% of African Americans recognized the racist policies of Romney and the Republicans. Since we have been historically been the victims of racism that alibity to see racism has become a survival tool and is not a surprise that 94% of African American used it. 2. Half of whites saw that racism and the other half said it doesn't matter. Pretty obvious which half you fell in, Your comment about brown and peach people identifies you as white
Why? Because so many people feel the need to reduce people to binary categories. A continuum makes them think too much.
voter fraud is real and I thing that both party's are guilty of it. It is a slap in the face of our great country and the men and women who have fought to give us this rights. now stop me if I am wrong but is getting a photo id really all that hard I mean come on now. we as a country use ides for just about everything now hell when you sign up for selective service you get a card a cheep one with no picture on it but you get one all the same it would not be that hard to give a photo id card to voters for free we have ben making free photo ides for years. photo ides are used to prevent crimes to give an example. I used to work at a gas station and we required a photo id to get beer hell there was even a sign showing what id's we could accept. in the 6 months that I worked there was only 1 time I asked for id that the guy could not show it and that mas was sent in by the cops to try to trick me. lets make a fare voter id card to be given out like a Social security card (which is needed to get a job by the way) and eliminate at least one kind of fraud. and to make it fare and non discriminatory have the federal government give out and not the states.
Election is a waste of money with no real change for the country..
Supreme Court should extend same scrutiny to ALL states, not just Southern states "with baggage." Look what Republican dominated legislature in Pennsylvania tried to do this year in a blatant attempt (and so stated by one legislator) to steal the election for Romney.
Interesting that The Project for Fair Representation is providing the counsel and resources for Shelby County to challenge the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
The Project for Fair Representation (a not-for-profit foundation based in Virginia) also is providing help in the Fisher v. Univ. of Texas Affirmative Action case that is NOW before the Supreme Court.
The Project for Fair Representation was also behind the Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District #1 v. Holder case that challenged the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
also--click links below-
Supreme Court hears landmark affirmative action case |
complete Supreme Court transcript--
Complete transcript: Supreme Court arguments on Univ Texas reverse discrimination case
Good research skills, YAHTC.
Thanks, DOCJT :-)
serfdom101
So,...that means the final tally was 332 to 206. That is a difference of 126 electoral votes,...a VERY BIG MARGIN.
Mitt didn't even get 2/3 the electoral votes of Obama. That says something,..loud and clear.
Two words,...."Referendum",...on failed trickle down GOP policies, and,..
"Mandate",...for the GOP to stop obstructing the president and finally follow
"Referendum" You guys throw that word around like it means something, ha , so, yeah rt----->
weeeeell, here you go obamabots: my list to you prks------------>
13,500+ Layoffs Nationwide, projected pink slips as of 11/11/2012, will hit post box on/or before 12-31- 2012 (none b4 Christmas)
Let me, ha hem, break it down for ya'all "actual no. may vary 4ward"
347 in Va. 1048 in Ga. 746 in Atlanta alone, New york 726, 536 of which with Obama bumperstickers or yard signage, Illinois 1007, 832 with Obama signage, 3 in Roselle Ill. alone, 3 in Lexington, Ky. 6 in Dallas Tx 42 in Houston 273 in Wis. 123 in Min. 1672 in Cleavland, Columbus, Cincinnati Ohio, 76 in Denver Co. 1 in Kansas, 1 in Ok. 12 in Mo. 734 in Pa. 2 in Maine, 68 in Massachusetts, Maryland 234, 1600 in the district of Columbia "not at all a coincidence" did I say Fla. 2003 state wide, 666in Miami Dade co. New Mexico 423, Iowa 377 corn cobs burned, Michigan 27, 67 in West Virgina, 27 in N.Carolina 200+ S. Carolina, Tennessee 33 Volunteers for early retirement, Connecticut zero, New hampshire zero, Arkansas zero, Alabama zero, Mississippi Zero, Louisiana zero, Montana Zero, Wyoming zero, Idaho zero, Utah zero, Vermont zero,Delaware zero, Nevada to be determined Many gone in California #'s n/a yet? Washington & Oregon Maybe as many as 1000+?
If I left any one out I apologize, my Human resources dept. will not.
Sorry, in advance for your decisions to fk-ploy yourselves... I, guess it could not be helped???
Reason for Layoffs: {$&sense, fiscally , just business not personal} Not Available/nofyfbiz/acaregs/bic/vote2014 foaeslibfks
Good News:> Alaska,South Dakota, Arizona, Nebraska, North Dakota, Indiana, Australia,Brazil & Canada training 3500+ new employees none of which are 4warders.....
Following is a link to this committee's opposition to Shelby County's suit opinion--
click the word "here" just above.
The above is from a report entitled The Voting Rights Act at Work 1982-2005 by The National Commission on the Voting Rights Act ...[This Commission was created by The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights]
To read the complete report click> protecting minority voters - The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
It is time to end "affirmative action" once and for all in the United States. Every individual has the same opportunities as everyone else. I think it is a slap to the face of minorities that some, for political reasons only, think that minorities need a hand up to achieve success.
Civil Rights Act was passed in 1965 and those claiming affirmative action is needed for minorities that weren't even born yet is just BS. With out using affirmative action, voting rights, and special programs the people in the ACLU, Jesse Jackson, Rev Al Sharpton and others who make a living off of the racial issues would have to find real jobs. It is only the political African-Americans and other minorities that want to keep racial divide alive. According to the so called "political experts" Obama won because of the minority vote, so why do they, the minorities, still need special government benefits?
Are you agoraphobic? It doesn't appear that you have much contact with the rest of society on any regular and consistent basis.
DOCJT - Are you stupid. How long are the minorities, especially African-Americans, going to keep using the race card? Minorities that weren't even born during the fight for civil rights are still trying to use race as a crutch. What about white or Asians (especially Chinese, Koreans and Japanese) who come from poor families and backgrounds, why aren't they given advantages similar to Blacks and Hispanics?
For you information I grew up in a mixed racial neighborhood in the 40s and 50s, in California. I spent 20 years in the military, so I have had much more contact with society and you have.
There was a purpose for affirmative action and civil rights legislation, especially in the South, in the 60s and even into the 80s, but like a lot of government policies there comes a time that they have to cease, especially when they become divisive.
Where is the fairness when a minority and a white apply to go to a school or a job and both come from the same town, state, K-12 schools, etc., that the minority is given priority based on skin color? My children are bi-racial and were told, when applying for college, not to mention they were part Asian because it would count against them more than help them.
So now you tell me, when does it end? If you and the other liberals that believe in affirmative action in schooling and jobs then give a minority your job or your child's seat in a college or university and quit asking others to do it.
It is very fair and also healthy for the college or university.
The institutions of higher learning should reflect the make-up of our diverse society always. Ethnic diversity enhances each student's experience which in turn benefits society as a whole.
If anything should be addressed.........it is the acceptance of star athletes who have poor grades below the level required to be accepted. Also, what about "privileged" applicants who do not meet acceptance standards and yet are accepted because of "family name" or because their relatives are big donors to the college?
It is very simple America. The GOP/RNC have gone out of their way to violate the Voter Rights Act Of 1965. The Tea Beggers need to be investigated by the US Justice Department. The Tea Beggers are guilty of voter suppression on a grand scale. It will be interesting to see how this "Crazy Conservative Court" rules on this very important issue.
As I watched the election day and evening news, I was sort of shocked that there were long lines of voters waiting hours to vote. Where I live, you walked in, maybe waited at most ten minutes and then voted. I noticed that most of the people in most of the lines were Black or Latino, not all, but most. Late on Tues. night as all the exit polling was completed, what were the results of the question: How long did you wait to vote? Over 90% of the persons reporting waits of an hour or more were minorities. Since they comprised only a quarter of the potential voters at most, something else seems to be going on here. Racism! Vote suppression! Election rigging! Would Southern Whites and racists in the North do such a thing? You 'betcha!
These Republicans have no soul and no morals. Though they wrap themselves in God and the flag, and talk about their own patriotism, they are Fascist pigs.
Has anyone considered a cause of the long lines being that many of the voters took 20-30 min. to complete their vote.
So,...now with Florida's 29 electoral votes that means the final tally was 332 for Obama and 206 for Romney. That is a difference of 126 electoral votes,...a VERY BIG MARGIN.
Mitt didn't even get 2/3 the electoral votes of Obama. That says something,..loud and clear.
Two words,...."Referendum",...on failed trickle down GOP policies, and,..
"Mandate",...for the GOP to stop obstructing the president and finally follow
the will of the people and work on behalf of the MIDDLE class.
Thank you president Obama for fighting for the "people" of our country. You have shown the GOP what a president is supposed to do.
We all must stay vigilant in our fight against corruption and financial influence on our political process.
That was close,...we almost became "The Corporate States of America".
They will try again in 2016, and probably every election after that.
We need to fight those who are attempting to bu our country AT EVERY TURN,....not just at elections, not just at THIS election,...not just for our very excellent first minority president.
The struggle is now "We the People" vs "Corrupt Corporate Super Pacs" whose purpose is to undermine government on behalf of the people in favor of pandering to corporations and the rich.
Talk to friends and neighbors,...and reinforce just how important it was that the people stuck together.
This election marked a "generational shift". Despite the enormous money that wealthy GOP Super PACs contributed to the Romney campaign >>>> MITT ROMNEY lost. Awesome,...that has shown us what we can do.
President Obama's huge elcetoral win was clearly a REFERRENDUM on the failed trickle down policies of the last generation. There is now a MANDATE from the people for the right to stand down and work with OUR DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT to get things done on behalf of the people.
If we work together, this will be the beginning of a progressive wave that will last for the next decade, insuring the future of the middle class.
Congratulations president Obama and vice president Biden,...and THANK YOU for everything you are doing.
" Fight the far right,...99% unite" !!!
Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton 2016,...and 2020 !!!! Let's make up our minds to keep this going now,...while the importance of this election is still fresh in our minds. The GOP won't truly "change",...they will just lay back and wait to strike again.
Vote democrat and vote often !!!
Yep, yer last comment says it all. The lib motto is "Vote Democrat and vote often." That's the only way to win. The Chicago machine won again, this time by buying the vote of every tiny special interest group our taxpayer dollars could reach. Then play on the greed and self-interest of the have nots. But it won't last. You may win every presidential election for hundreds of years, but what will the wins mean? Nothing. Because the country will be ruined. You will be presiding over a has-been country, with people who've earned nothing, fighting over who gets the dregs of what was once the greatest society known to man. Feel proud. You've earned it.
I dont think that the Court should have taken this case, especially when we saw the blatant attempts to suppress minority voters, the discriminating voter ID laws, purging of voter lists etc. BUT, if they do take the case, it's clear that the Act is still critically needed and should be upheld 9-0! It will be VERY telling if the margin is different.
Clearly, the GOP wants to roll back voting rights of the minorities in this country! Indeed, they are trying to do, and already HAVE DONE, many things that are patently un-American! The job of the last election remains unfinished. If we are to effectively address this voter right issue, the GOP-created debt issue, this constant kowtowing to the money and corporate elite while giving Joe America the finger, then we have to repudiate this version of the GOP!! That is the goal of 2014 and beyond.
It is important to remember that this country did not have serious budget, deficit and debt issues, and deliberate disregard for American traditions, UNTIL the election of Raygun!
Yes, to a lib, asking for proof of eligibility to vote is a blatant attempt to supress minority votes. Like asking a driver for his license, right? Yer a moroon. It's actually only considered supression when required in a relatively conservative state. Here in uberlib Colorado everyone shows ID. Why haven't you libs sued our state? Because there aren't enough illegal votes to be gained. It's okay, you will all taste the fruits of your misconduct - eventually. Unless, of course, you forget to take off your lib-colored glasses.
catlover. do you realize that most of the voter ID laws were declared illegal?? It isnt about showing IDs-- it was about suppressing the vote! YOU make this that's OK, I do not, and neither did the courts!
LooLOO, it's not about revenge, it's about cutting out the cancer that is this version of the gop. They endangered this country's national security with their 30 year campaign to run up so much debt that it would force privatizing SS and Medicare-- 2 programs that added NOT ONE DIME to the deficits and debt.
If the last 3 GOP presidents had NOT signed TWENTY deficit riddled budgets AND saddled Obama with a $1.3T deficit, we wouldnt HAVE A DEBT CRISIS!
At a time of crisis, with the country’s entire financial system near collapse, with the economy collapsing, with the stock market collapsing, with unemployment skyrocketing, with people losing their jobs and retirement money, the GOP announced that THEIR #1 PRIORITY was to assure that Pres. Obama was a 1 term president---- even BEFORE he was sworn in!!!
Do you REALLY think the Republican Party give a FIG about you and me??? Nah!! THEY worship at the altar of the moneyed and corporate elite while giving Joe America the finger. We need to throw the rest of them out to even begin to save this country!
Tom, Tell us, please, why showing ID suppresses any vote. Everyone is required to show ID to drive, cash a check, get a job, get on an airplane, go into a courthouse, drink beer, etc, etc, etc, etc. Tell us, please, why voting should be any different. Only if the machine is worried about not getting enough illegal votes. If you all will take off the lib-colored glasses, you will all eventually understand how the lib machine is ruining America, only for the votes. It's a real shame.
catlover589--did you read this post above?
.
The Bill that Texas had wanted to enact but was blocked by the 3-judge court was the following---
As I understand it--Texas was required to stick to its old policy which is
So showing an ID somehow discriminates against certain segments?? I've shown IDs every time I've voted, in every state I've lived in. No one here in Colorado thinks it is a burden. Why can the uberliberal states require ID, but when a reletively conservative state like Texas requires proof of voter eligibility it is somehow discriminatory. Are you libs saying the minorities in Texas are for some reason even more stupid than the minorities in Colorado? Or is it simply that you libs need more illegal votes in places like Texas?
The only reason states are challenging the voting rights act is that these Southern states are still fighting the Civil War.
The Civil War is over.
The United States of America won.
Get over it!
You win the dick head award of the day. Go forth and show the people the power of your stupidity and racism
With the blatant attempts to surpress the vote before the Nov elections, e.g., voter ID, shorter early voting hours, purges of the rolls with little time to appeal, it is evident that systematic action by the GOP to reduce the opportunity to vote is alive and well. Though mostly affecting seniors, blacks and Latinos, it also affected many whites. While not overtly racist, is is overtly unAmerican.
And the runner up for the award is?????
These situations need to be corrected. Thanks for pointing them out, woodbutcher.
This is the United States of America Voting Laws In 2003 The Federal Voting Standards and Procedures Act.
(1) Requires states to streamline registration.
(2) Requires states to streamline voting.
(3) Requires states to streamline all other election procedures.
Americans have the Right to vote! Political Power of the Republican Party is clearly under the Corporate Control.
Well, here we go again, fighting for our rights, even though people from all walks of life, different faiths and creeds have died to protect the right to vote, and now it looks like we will have to establish a new civil rights movement to thwart the efforts of racists to repeal the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Bill. To be sure, states like Ohio should be added to the list based on all the voter suppression legislation spear-headed by the 'outed' A.L.E.C.(Koch brothers). While people in other countries are dying trying to get the opportunity to vote, in this country too many people are sitting by not raising their collective voices against voter suppression. Don't these people realize that at some point they WILL be next???
What the Republicans are doing is treason by another name.
1) Voter ID Should Be A One Time Affair -- Register One Time -- At Age 18 Or Older -- Similar To A Drivers License -- If You Move -- Then Re-Register & Update Your Place Of Residence -- A Simple Mail In Process -- On A National Basis -- Not A Local One -- The National Lists Passed On To The Local Districts!
2) Purges Of Voter Rolls -- If And When Needed -- On A National Level Since Registration Should Be On A National Level -- Not Local!
3) Access Should Be Equalized And Based On Voter Population Density -- To Give Equal Access Time -- Higher Densities Areas Can Be Adjust By Having Extended Voter Days, Hours And More Voting Places -- It Took My 93 Year Old Mother And I Approximately 20 Minutes to Vote Not 2 Or More Hours Let Alone 8 Or 10 Hours -- Forms In Many Cases Can Be Pre-distributed To Cut Down On The Time to Vote! Without Equal Access -- Time Or Otherwise -- There Is A Form Of Denial & Suppression To All Voter! Strong Federal Guidelines Are Need Here!