After 37 years and $1 million in compliance costs, a county with no history of voting discrimination is set to be released from the Voting Rights Act’s Section 5 preclearance requirements:

County Counsel James Fincher said that over the past decade, the county has spent about $1 million in legal costs and fees related to Section 5. “Yes, we’re certainly pleased that the DOJ agreed with us that Merced County doesn’t belong under the act,” Fincher said, noting that the county has heard those words before, but now has them in writing.

County officials have said Merced County undeservedly fell under Section 5 oversight in 1975 because the military population skewed the figures for required voter registration.   

The Merced Sun-Star has the full story.

After 37 years and $1 million in compliance costs, a county with no history of voting discrimination is set to be released from the Voting Rights Act’s Section 5 preclearance requirements:

County Counsel James Fincher said that over the past decade, the county has spent about $1 million in legal costs and fees related to Section 5. “Yes, we’re certainly pleased that the DOJ agreed with us that Merced County doesn’t belong under the act,” Fincher said, noting that the county has heard those words before, but now has them in writing.

County officials have said Merced County undeservedly fell under Section 5 oversight in 1975 because the military population skewed the figures for required voter registration.   

The Merced Sun-Star has the full story.