Memorandum from Suitts to North Carolina Reapportionment Group

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AiLAtITA. GEOR.SIA 303C3 (i3J I 5:2-476.

DATE: August ?C, 1931

MElrgRAUpulr

lJ: l-olth Carolina il,e:pJ;o1'i:j.onnent Group

.'.ill.1: Stet'e Suitts

ll.i: .'. rcvierr of ou1' ne'Jting cf Augus:- 17

I ii:nt to rei'j.ati tl:e !r:"giiiigitts
:--, i;i3t ',.e ni-qht be i'e;tndr'd of '.tliat
.:l:re, [",.'- riho:al and b,v :;]iat iate.

cur iteeting on ilo;cay
3gr:ced neeCs to be

i':::erning Conire-.siol:l re,:listri:ting, cLlr dj.-;:ussi\s
:c-'i:sed on the chang.es i:t District Tt;o and the failure of Nre

^-- -^-- 
:.': !!-^--a - l^---^I--1 ^.-- \al-',.'isi:iiure to i:rcl.uil.r Durl:an Ccunty, ;iithcut :r bieikJcl';;l

: ctlstration fisure-i or voter turnout rates bv iace. l'Je 
";e

cslstration figr-rre-i or voter turnout rates o)' iace, 1';e 
";ei'e

:'u:',ian Count)'tras left out Dec3use ts1a:lt registration and tui'no
i;:ab1e to deternine if there is support fcr the argunent th:T N;). r ":. ,.

:.i.s \'onsiderabl,v higirer than in most otl)3r cor.rnpies rvirich here
.;:;iuil",rl i;ithin District Ti';:, if avaiJ.able, thtis sLlpDorting
.::i:-i ::iEht counter, :o sone extent. the rebutial tlrat iltere is
, .::;' an abrsciute Clife:'3rlce ol' ,cour perceiltsee li[ni: l're i".';;'l
l'i-rtiict Trn'o as it stantis a::3 Disirict Two rvith Durilam but
., t iliout AlarTlance and Chathan Counties.

. \;:rerently the iiepublican PartY has filed objectiLrns ic

.-c:rulessional District lrumber Tiuo rriith the l'ietu that it diiutes
,' i:i.'1. r'oting strength. iulius Ciianbers connitt,.'d his firn tc tlte
::i,:i. r:i obtaining a cot)y of the letter of ol:jection filed br'
t.:.-' .lr:.rb1icans. lriiilo no :ssigi:nent. 1';as :nade, f i1 cc;;r.it us
i.,,::itlreling the registt'.ltion d:lta, e;C 3s best as av:ilabLe
. r:l:-"r:;iion-peinits, tui'ncui 'l3ta for ihl' a?p1ice'rie couriies.

n the J:':it of the cc;tplaint r':iiicl'r Leslie liln;ier
tre agreed that a rederal aciion ought to be cc:;.3nced,
t t!:e 3pplicsble secticns of tire licith Caroliila state
::rd tire proioseC )iorth Carolina reapporticr:;eii plan

xcusos cf ':lle Gcneral lssenb11'r'iolate Secticn 5 and
t:re t,':r:i:'t:i P.ig:l-'s.\:t and viollte tite lJth:i:'ld 15th

l::::ed o
L.l ted.
i ng tlia
itutron

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-issenl)1v has both thc nu:':csL5 anC c:rcct of rscial Ciscrir..,in:lti.on
i.n voti.ng. 'i'iris 1.'iter s;rou1d be sirpp6llsd as niuch,rs pcrsSible b1'
3i1 ani11'sis 1-rf the el:.€e,:t of tire prL.tposed p1an. Tl're ".nai)-sis ln'i11be iargely the responsibiLity' of the- South-ern Regio:::r1 Counci.1.

For both actions, 'iie agreed that some historical research
needs to be :cnnissior.rei oir the origins and purnoses of the
s tate const j :utional pror-is ions requiri.ng respect f or count,v
lilg: ir re.irportionnenr. Julius agreed-to check rvith EcdyIfilliams of the Joint Center for Political StuCies to deteimineif one of their schclars could carry out the research. If not,Julius rvi1l check r"ith 1oca1 historians.

Fina11y, 
-tr'e. 

agreed that the optinal plans for reapportioninc
both houses of the C<;'ircr.:1 -{ssenbly to giv'e maxinun voiing s tre;rqtl:to Blacks needed to be fornulated. 'lfe rvculd tr)'to har.e t:;s plins
clevelopgd .- one rvhich gr.,'e scme respect to countl lines anc theotner r*hich s inp11, rras based o;1 cenius tr'act dati . Ilic.lrarC. rilein
a-qreed to explore availalrle resources, cctnputer-s, and progl'rinners,
tuith a fetn' of the national orgeni:aticns, and ila1'mond itheeler
agreed to inquiie rvith local experts in 1oca1 institutioas.

h'ith agreement about these courses of action and tasks, .,,3

pro j ected the f ollorr.ing tinetable :

1

August 51. 19S1: Leslie r,'i11 hal-e circulated
receT\€A-tTiET ccnnents about the dreft of the
and rsi11 have placed it in federal court;

an.l
conD i; i:r I

S_gp-19.rlr!_qr 1J, 1931: By this Cate the Southern Ilegionel
edrmEifrilTf-TfIE-prepared its analysis of the effects
of the proposed reapportion;nent p1an, circulated s;ld
received conrlents on i ts draf t ietter of ob jection, aadfiled the letter of objection on behalf of tire locaI \trti:
car'olina group" If the Justice Departilent r'eciuests acJi -

tional infornation on the reapportionmeitt plan a;rd the
tiinetable f cr Ei ling a leiter of ob je cticr: is e:(t(-:rie.l.
filing may be postponed;

Octobe=r 15 -50. 19S1: 3r'th:.s .-ine R.icl:ard e:rJ L:',.:cnd....'_.--ri:.I1 hel'e nrCe cc,ntacts, decis ions abcut ,.;!to ca;.i. p:cduce
n9q91- legisLatir-e p1ans.rvi11 irave been nade, and the plens
lri11 have been produced;

)Jgrsnirer' I, i3.j:_ gy this {o!", Julius :;i11 har-e _:s'cu:-ed
? r'-.searcnc'r to pi'.:Enet c:'igi.ns and purposes of tjre state
constitr::lcral i:r'J\.i.s:c;r-; :rnd the researcher :;i11 har,-e
a p:^c1ini:::::'.,' .^..)c:t :it'::i 1:rbl.e. A f inal Cccunent of
:'c jearcir' i;: t1.., itr:,r, shoulJ be ccnpi"t"a bl, Deconber 1S

l',':r113',rc ::ri'l::l'.'3 a ,1.:)r:elr:::.: :a11 before th: nicdle :f Saptc:-.'-,:
',;i-1 ;t!:rccJ tJ ilrrct 1:t -;r:tri.:itc )n'i.) .').{3in on Septcnb,-.r 1c 3t 10:r.)C -:.-.i:'l ti:-' sr:3 ii-''r',' 3.iJrr::c.l r:i'>ns. I :..ilk this i.-s rrhero tr'e stxnil a::d
:J"{ pi:coeJ.