[EL] Literacy tests

Fri Aug 28 09:06:43 PDT 2020

Doubtful. This is a permanent part of the statute rather than an extraordinary, “temporary” provision.

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From: Law-election <law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu> On Behalf Of Eric J Segall
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2020 12:01 PM
To: Pamela S Karlan <pkarlan at stanford.edu>
Cc: Election Law Listserv <law-election at uci.edu>
Subject: Re: [EL] Literacy tests

*CAUTION: External Email*

Irony of course is the Court could strike this down as beyond congressional power because the problem of literacy tests has been solved. Current conditions and all.....

e

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 28, 2020, at 11:58 AM, Pamela S Karlan <pkarlan at stanford.edu<mailto:pkarlan at stanford.edu>> wrote:
 52 U.S.C. 10501 bans literacy tests in all elections:

10501. Application of prohibition to other States; "test or device" defined

(a) No citizen shall be denied, because of his failure to comply with any test or device, the right to vote in any Federal, State, or local election conducted in any State or political subdivision of a State.

(b) As used in this section, the term "test or device" means any requirement that a person as a prerequisite for voting or registration for voting (1) demonstrate the ability to read, write, understand, or interpret any matter, (2) demonstrate any educational achievement or his knowledge of any particular subject, (3) possess good moral character, or (4) prove his qualifications by the voucher of registered voters or members of any other class.

Pamela S. Karlan
Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law
Co-Director, Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
Stanford Law School
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Stanford, CA 94305
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On Aug 28, 2020, at 8:53 AM, Kogan, Vladimir <kogan.18 at osu.edu<mailto:kogan.18 at osu.edu>> wrote:

Hi everyone, a student asked me this question and I was embarrassed to not know the answer: Does the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition on literacy tests apply only to federal elections? In other words, could a state today implement a literacy tests requirement for state and local elections?

Thanks in advance!

Vlad Kogan

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