Posted on 02/18/2004 5:06:05 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
The Prairie View A&M University chapter of the NAACP alleged in a federal lawsuit Tuesday that Waller County officials violated federal law by shortening the early voting period at the university for the March 9 primary election.
The lawsuit, the second filed by the Prairie View NAACP against county officials in two weeks, alleges the county cannot make changes affecting voting without obtaining approval from the U.S. Justice Department.
Jon Greenbaum, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said the lawsuit does not accuse county officials of trying to limit the vote at the predominantly black university, but many students believe that to be true.
"Certainly what we've seen is a kind of disturbing pattern of conduct," said Greenbaum of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
A lawsuit filed Feb. 5 by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and four Prairie View students asked a federal judge to keep Waller County District Attorney Oliver Kitzman from enforcing residency requirements that might bar students from voting.
The students' vote could decisively affect county races, and Greenbaum predicted students will turn out in large numbers in reaction to Kitzman's efforts.
Officials have said the student vote could help elect a Democrat in the Republican-controlled county.
The Prairie View NAACP chapter filed the lawsuit after Election Commissioner Lela Loewe reduced, from two to one, the number of days for the early polling station at the university.
Loewe said she also shortened the hours of the polling station by an hour.
In a phone interview, Loewe said she shortened the time because the turnout is usually low. "In the last few elections the number that have voted there doesn't show a necessity for two days," she said.
Greenbaum countered that in the 2000 primary election, Prairie View's voting station, open only one day, had more voters than any other early polling place except the central polling location, which was open for two weeks.
He also noted that the university would be on spring break during the March 9 primary election, meaning many students would be out of town and would need to vote early. "That was something the county judge, Ms. Loewe and the county commissioners were well aware of," Greenbaum said.
The lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon to order the Prairie View early polling place opened for two days from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Loewe said they normally are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The lawsuit also asks Harmon to force county officials to obtain Justice Department permission before making the changes, as required by the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Greenbaum said all changes affecting voting must be cleared by the Justice Department.
SAY WHAT?
Huh??? Counties have to get federal approval for polling hours? Is this county under a consent order or something?
Break the law in order to influence the vote? I know these kids must have a principled argument. /sarcasm
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