Justice can Further Improve Its Monitoring of Changes in State/Local Voting Laws

摘要

The 1965 Voting Rights Act, as amended, was designed to prevent discriminatory practices that deny U.S. citizens belonging to racial or language minorities their constitutional right to vote and otherwise participate in the electoral process equally with other citizens. The Department of Justice is responsible for enforcement of this act. A 1978 GAO report on Justice's activities to enforce and administer the act contained numerous recommendations to improve Justice's efforts. GAO found, in its current study, that Justice has taken positive steps to improve its monitoring of changes in State/local voting laws. However, problems still exist which require Justice's attention. These problems entail identifying voting changes implemented by a jurisdiction without Justice's prior approval as required by law, assuring that voting changes objected to by Justice are not implemented by the jurisdiction, and requiring jurisdictions to submit all required documentation to support a voting change.