Black voters sue over Alabama's method of electing judges

Washington Post ^ | September 7, 2016 | Kim Chandler

[Zakeet]

A civil rights group challenged Alabama's practice of electing appellate judges by statewide vote on Wednesday, saying the result is all-white courts in a state where one in four people is African-American.

The lawsuit filed on behalf of NAACP's Alabama chapter and four black voters in Montgomery federal court argues that at-large judicial elections in Alabama violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting power of African-American citizens.

[Snip]

"In 2016, Alabama's appellate courts are no more diverse than they were when the Voting Rights Act was signed more than 50 years ago," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which filed the suit. "This case makes clear that voting discrimination is alive and well across the state of Alabama."

[proud American in Canada]

I’m not going to read the Wapo article because I already showered today.

LOL! Smart move! :)

But how many blacks have actually run for the office?

Exactly. It's hard to vote for someone who is not running.

That is the kind of information that good journalists would look up. And the Wapo ignores. They can't be bothered with the facts anymore.

I guess they are just resting on their Woodward/Bernstein Watergate laurels.

[proud American in Canada]

I do read their statements. If it sounds socialist or anti-constitution, they don’t get my vote. So I am not voting for or against anyone’s looks or color, but their ideas and principles.

OMG! You actually think before you vote! What a novel concept! ;)

I remember in 1996, I was living in Colorado.

I could not vote for Bill Clinton; on the other hand, I didn't really like Bob Dole.

So I decided to start with all the referenda and ballot issues (CO is big on that). I kept reading, and re-reading, and thinking about each one.

Anyway, I finally submitted my ballot.

And I realized that I had forgotten to vote for the President! LOL!

Well, I hope the libraries are happy, etc. ;)

Seriously, CO ballots are long and complicated, which, IMO, is a good thing, if people care enough to study them.

However, not such a good thing if you take so much time that you forget the entire reason you went to vote! LOL!