BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
On Tuesday, the U. S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act. In a 5-4 vote, Court Justices struck down the landmark Voting Rights Act. The enforcement of that act now rests in the hands of Congress to devise a new method of ensuring fair elections.
Some officials and attorneys shared their opinion on the ruling with Sentinel readers.
Attorney Arthenia Joyner (pictured) said, “I was saddened and disappointed, the ruling of the U. S. Supreme Court tears the heart out of the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibited some states and counties, who had a history of discrimination, from changing voting laws without the approval of the U. S. Department of Justice.
“This ruling will allow states to change voting laws in a manner that is detrimental to Blacks and Latinos unless the U. S. Congress immediately pass a law with a new formula for determining discrimination.”
Attorney Warren Dawson said, “It is a sad day in America that the Supreme Court of the United States voted by a 1 vote majority has wiped out an opportunity to make a democracy more meaningful by making sure that the right to vote is fully protected.
“As if that were not sad enough, it gets worse when you consider these laws were passed to protect the rights of Blacks and other minorities and you have the only Black justice on the Supreme Court of the U. S., i.e., Clarence Thomas, who cast the deciding 5th vote in a 5-4 decision to take away protections intended for people who look like him.”
Mrs. Carolyn Collins, President of the Hillsborough County NAACP said, “One of Florida’s five pre-clearance counties – Hillsborough County has suffered a major defeat. With the loss of voters with potential damage with the invalidation of Section IV, we now suffer the loss of Section V. This county lives daily with vestiges of restrictions on voter’s rights.
“The local NAACP accepts the challenge and we will enact an aggressive campaign under the leadership of the Political Action Chair Yvette Lewis and her committee. This battle will start locally on the ground with all elected officials, move to the state legislators and subsequently move to the Congressional level to pursue the creation of a new formula for pre-clearance.
“During the National conference call Tuesday night, First Vice President Joseph W. J. Robinson asked if tracks would be designed to deal with this issue. Board Chairperson Roslyn Brock and Rev. Charles White, NAACP Field Director answered emphatically, “yes.”
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Craig Latimer said, “The Supreme Court’s decision really doesn’t affect us that much because the preclearance pertained to language for Hispanics when changing polling locations.
“It hasn’t been a burden because we are still held to community standards and we will still be held to community standards.”
