Some Southern states still discriminate, rights advocates say

09:08 AM CDT on Tuesday, June 27, 2006

By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – Civil rights advocates hit back Monday, challenging Texas and other Southern states that say they have sufficiently improved minority voting rights to deserve relief from federal scrutiny.

For more than a month, Republicans from Texas, Georgia and other states have stalled House debate on extending key provisions of the Voting Rights Act for 25 years – stymieing a deal between Speaker Dennis Hastert and Democratic leaders.

The critics say that after four decades of monitoring, these states have better records than many others.

"The claim is completely bogus," said Nancy Zirkin, deputy director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which released reports Monday detailing violations in Texas and Georgia. "Texas is among the most egregious abusers of the Voting Rights Act."

Since Congress last renewed the law, in 1982, the Justice Department has rejected 107 electoral changes proposed by Texas or its cities and counties. Only Mississippi had more rejections.

"A second generation of voting discrimination is alive and well," Ms. Zirkin said.

Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, said that he is a proud Texan and that he hopes the state improves enough so that it no longer needs federal monitoring to protect black and Hispanic voters. "But it's not going to be in my legislative lifetime, or maybe even my lifetime."

Under current law, nine states must seek Justice Department approval for any changes that might affect minority voters – from changing polling sites and precinct boundaries to changing the shape of legislative and congressional districts.

In Dallas, the change from at-large City Council seats to single-member districts in the early 1990s required federal approval.

Some critics of the Voting Rights Act say it's unfair to put nine states under special scrutiny, especially since most were targeted based on minority turnout in 1964 elections – and many now have better minority voting rates than states that aren't subjected to Justice Department "pre-clearance." Many also object to provisions requiring special aid for voters who lack English proficiency.

Those seeking to extend the act note that the Supreme Court approved the scrutiny specifically because it targeted states with a track record of discrimination. The law lets states bail out by showing they fully complied for a decade – advocates accuse the Southern lawmakers of trying to do an end-run around that rule.

Mr. Hastert and other GOP House leaders scheduled a vote on the extension last week but abruptly cancelled it after objections from most Texas and Georgia Republicans and allies in other states. They have promised a vote on the measure but haven't set a timeframe.

Civil rights advocates are demanding a vote before the July 4 congressional recess.

E-mail tgillman@dallasnews.com