WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to look at whether some state and local governments still have to get Washington's approval before making election changes.
The federal voting rights act requires nine states and some local governments in areas with a history of discrimination to get federal "pre-clearance" from the attorney general or a Washington court panel before making changes in voting procedure. Congress extended the Voting Rights Act for another 25 years in 2006, finding that discrimination still exists.
Conservatives and some states and cities contend the requirement is an unconstitutional federal intrusion on communities that have never discriminated or no longer do.
The case accepted by the court is Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District vs. Mukasey.
SCOTUSblog.com reported that the case involves two issues, constitutional and statutory. The Texas agency contends that federal law includes a "bail-out" provision allowing it to escape the pre-clearance requirement. The report said if the Supreme Court rules that the agency is entitled to the bail-out, the justices may not reach the constitutional challenge to the law.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear the case in the spring.
