Ninth Circuit Says Voting Rights Act Applies to Felon Disenfranchisement Issue Only in Limited Circumstances

On October 7, an en banc panel of the 9th circuit ruled that the federal Voting Rights Act cannot be used to overturn a state’s restriction on felon or ex-felon voting, unless the plaintiffs can demonstrate that the particular state passed the restriction on felon or ex-felon voting with the intent to discriminate against racial or ethnic minorities.  See the per curiam opinion here.  It is only 7 pages long.  Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for this news.  There are also some longer concurring opinions.

On January 5, 2010, the original 9th circuit panel had ruled 2-1 that the Voting Rights Act can be used to overturn Washington state’s ban on felons and certain ex-felons, but that earlier opinion is now reversed.  The case is Farrakhan v Gregoire, 06-35669.


Comments

Ninth Circuit Says Voting Rights Act Applies to Felon Disenfranchisement Issue Only in Limited Circumstances — 2 Comments

  1. What party hacks (even party hack MORONS) say that they *intend* to discriminate against any body for any reason ???

    The brain dead court has mind readers ???

    For the clueless courts — the intend stuff relates to damages — intentional worse, negligent not so much.

  2. How brain dead ignorant are the MORON courts regarding —

    14th Amdt, Sec. 2 (OK to deny right to vote to convicted criminals)

    and

    15th Amdt, Sec. 1 (NO denial of right to vote based on race) ???

    DIFFERENT subject matters.

    For the clueless — the SCOTUS MORONS have yet to do a proper review of both sections — due to armies of LAZY moron lawyers and amicus profs — NOT that ANY review is necessary since both sections are PLAIN ENGLISH (except to the SCOTUS morons).

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