Voter Rights Act Submission

For states covered by Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, including Texas, a change in law affecting elections must be evaluated to determine that it neither has the purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race, color, or language group. Because of this requirement, redistricting plans passed by the Texas Legislature, the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB), or a state district court must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for preclearance. The state may not implement a new redistricting plan until the plan has been precleared under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.

If a plan is submitted to the justice department, the department has 60 days to review the plan; if department officials request additional information, another 60-day review period begins on the date the supplementary material is received. If the justice department objects to all or parts of any plan, either the legislature or the LRB, if it sill has jurisdiction, must make revisions, which would again be subject to preclearance, or the plan may be submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for preclearance.

Additional information about Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is available on the U.S. Department of Justice website.