New York: More speedbumps to HAVA compliance

The election machine saga in New York doesn’t quit.  Back in 2002, the Help America Vote Act required new machines in New York.  Years of delay, too complicated to recount here, ensued.  Now that the new electronic machines are ready for use, another lawsuit threatens to derail their use.  The New York Times has more.  The lawsuit has been brought on behalf of the “Working Families Party” and the Brennan Center for Justice.

If you were wondering, the “Working Families Party” is closely affiliated with ACORN, SEIU and the Communications Workers of America.  Bertha Lewis of ACORN fame is involved with the WFP.  It thrives on “fusion voting” which allows them to endorse mainstream candidates and give the imprimatur of the far left on various candidates. 

Virgil Goode on Voting Rights Act

Former Congressman Virgil Goode opines at Human Events about two Voting Rights Act cases I litigated – one he likes, and one he doesn’t:

“The Justice Department filed a claim against the town of Lake Park, Fla., to make the town of 9,000 change from electing their commissioners from an at-large seat into gerrymandered districts where ‘black persons would constitute a majority of the citizen voting age population in at least one of the districts’ with the explicit goal of promoting ‘black electoral success.’

Compare this to how they treated the New Black Panther Party intimidating white voters. During the presidential election, the Black Panthers were videotaped brandishing batons in paramilitary outfits outside the voting booths. According to an affidavit signed by poll watcher Bartle Bull, a liberal who served in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division under Robert Kennedy, one of the Black Panthers told white voters, “you are about to be ruled by the black man, cracker.” The Justice Department dismissed this complaint without giving any explanation.”

I discussed how conservatives sometimes diminish the problems minorities face in elections in my Pajamas Media piece.   Racially polarized voting is an undeniable fact.  Electoral systems sometimes present insurmountable barriers to full participation by minority voters.  Single member districts can remedy this circumstance.