SPONSOR:	Rep. Plant & Rep. Smith & Sen. Henry

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

143rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 17

URGING DELAWARE'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATES TO SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

WHEREAS, the Voting Rights Act was initially adopted in 1965 and extended in 1970, 1975 and 1982; and

WHEREAS, the Voting Rights Act (the “Act”) is considered one of the most successful pieces of civil rights legislation adopted by the United States Congress in the manner in which it has guaranteed that the individual right to vote shall not be abridged; and

WHEREAS, the Act codifies and effectuates the 15^th Amendment’s permanent guarantee that, throughout the nation, no person shall be denied the right to vote on account of race or color; and

WHEREAS, the Act was adopted at a time when African Americans were substantially disenfranchised in many Southern states; the Act employed measures to restore the vote that intruded in matters previously reserved to the individual states; and Section 4 of the Act ended the use of literacy requirements for voting in six Southern states; and

WHEREAS, enforcement of the Act has also increased the opportunity of black and Latino voters to elect representatives of their choice by providing a vehicle for challenging unconstitutional election methods, such as racially gerrymandered districting plan or run off requirements that may dilute minority voting strength; and

WHEREAS, the Voting Rights Act is currently up for consideration by the U.S. Congress; and

WHEREAS, the parts of the Voting Rights Act which guarantee each individual the fundamental right to vote in American elections should be a permanent law of the land and not an amendment that must be periodically reviewed; and

WHEREAS, the Voting Rights Act continues to be a necessary tool to ensure the application of the one-person, one-vote principle.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 143^rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that the State of Delaware supports the U.S. Government in its commitment to the principle that every American has the right to vote and not have that vote denied because of race or color.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we hereby request that our United States Senators and Representative support extending the Voting Rights Act when it comes up for renewal in 2007 and making permanent those portions of the Act which guarantee each American the individual right to vote.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitably prepared copy of this resolution be sent to Delaware's Congressional delegates.