Legal Research on Assistance to Voters

    -):-/---^-*., C*u-& N '-'' ':l ') -) 7'a

r ( 1 ';#A],# #,i;# / oo L
P.L.97-205

t/)

L.{

.S
R

Y\ r{
(t'-

/i"i

\t VL

A

Pt

\
I

\ overborn,
I voting f.
I To lim,i g.n,,pa ,,,

Comtrrirl,
sistunct' ,

that th;
to avoi<l
olherwis,'
ioved b- ,'

Tho (.,
will mak,'
who are '.,.
ing booti,
him. Sinc,
lever of t
intimidat

Thc Co,

b
elearlv ncrmissible. Moreover, in Rotu the Court specifically rejectrd

;il';rfi;;;;i-h;;-.,"r0r, i t t[-," Act and 
_ 
its, r'eclearance reqrt i re ment'

\r,'pro oDnroDrl&te ,n.nit tf 
-..f"..;'g tt'" nift"cnth Amendttrent in

ibfi. ;ffi;i"a "irtiir"rl 
tSeir usefuln-ess by 1975, rvltctt Cotrgr'('ss e'\-

tcnd6d thi Act for tnother scvcn ye&rs'20'

Thc courr i" ni)"iirl""ri"ti," dct-oile<l congres-.sion1t lin!ilff
i" i ir?f .-it ior"ali Cons.ess' considered deternrinat ion" that exte nston

ii $"Jrir"^r p*6""."-*o ancl othet speci'al statuton- lsrnedig5 \1as

essential to counter tiri'bi y-."*t=t p9ry-a9ire. voting discrirnination to

be "both unsurprising and unassaila'ble'" 2o'

""f;; h"t"'opr"?niJ"i;;;;;h" teecl for a,d the importancc of

S*tio" f-p"."t."i.on"o"Jo.,ti",i"" """bnted. 
In our vierv. lhe hearing

record, compiled by ;i; if;ii C;;gt"ss provides overrvltelmiug justifi-

""tio., 
for c^ontinuing Section 5 pre-clearance'

Ir is true that the hi.iii"iir i'., South. C-arolirw and Bome.exprcssed

t il ;;; ;;; iii *t c." !. 
" 
; ;; p;';'r" 

" 
t 1 

il ;.1 
b+'iij 

Hii:t h"i:i,::? 
tlt

unusually stringent ienredy of precleara
fortS in S. 1992, **.it"itJa *it[ittit to"ttt'' in mind' The proposed

orocedure maintains prJ.iLr""n." o"ty u-ntil o jurisdiction satisfies the

",,|t#;6i" ffi1ilil;-.ii;;;1'io,1r; ii S' rgp' since the balout pro-

;;;i;; il"S. 1iie, .l;;i.u ;.";; "'t'iu''ut" 
stattdard, the suggestion in

tho Subcomnrittee Reporfifr"[ it '-torld. permanently imposi Section 5

G;;ffirounor. Kotzetboch, S83 u's' at 32{'
a'bttu ol Romc, 446 U'S. at 177'
Dr.l{6 u.s. 180.8446 u's' 182' 

[page 62]

tneSsul'ec
z lle establi

)-)d ,*1i#',
lntlmtdal,
Itllnd. to :'.
meetlng to..,

on tho covered jurisdiction is without foundation,.a^s.ale ttte consti-

tutional arsuments Jremised on that assertio-n'2o6.Ald, in any erent'

;il; # ;";;1"; ;t;d;' ; defi n ite te rm i n ati on ou'o 
"' !:"L C /r,

V[I. ASSISTANCE TO VOTERE-z=- <-).

our elect,
of anv st
OVeffl(l
the riglrt

Stat,'
unduh'
minatir,r.
oxamlri
tho vor.i,
provide t

rearl <rl
i3y irr,

rrnder I l,'
of in,.,, ,

rrrocedtt,
forent l:l
'l'iro ( ...

etch gt, '

All -,

capperl r

lD cov('l r

is thal ; 
'

of tlrc 1r,'

'tt
((lt.i

virl

V[I. ASSISTANUE'I'U VUTI,IIP A)

Certain discreto groups of citizens are unable to .*"."\ t'heir 1igf1t1 
-Z

t"Y"i" *irfr"r;;bt?ilir?i*i.i".." i" ioting including aid witlin the

vorins booth. These il;-rfi i";i;d" ttr" Uti"?. the disibled. and tlose
iii;".i,il""';;;ffi-?;'o'*.lritt"n language or u'ho are unable to read

or write sufficientlv *.fi t"'""atttd;a fhe election material and the

rriri"i."n...i." of ir,"i" .".d fo. assistance, members of these grouPs

;;;;;-;.."piiur. ii;";-G;dinarv voter to having their.voto un-

a;j;'i;h-r;;;a o. *u"iprtrt.d. As a'result. members of -such sroups

Lli'tii" iiiri"ii,"i^tii.J'Ji1 u. ai*.i*inatecl asainst at the polls and

ih;;1h.i;-;iglt tn iot""i"-itoi;;;.t fedcroi elections will not be

nrotected.
''[r".'J"r]. the manner of providing assistance lras t significant eflect

";ir;i'i"t 
".r.."i!. ,f tf,o i,iglrt to fite by srrch people who neerl assist-

iir.L sp..in.riii.,-ii l.';;rr';;i;.at that many such'r'oters mav feel

nnnrchensive abour .js.,i";'; t "rriil'" 
i;; p.;;;il; oi, o. ln"y l',e ririsled

il'.;l:;il;;;;ti.t til;'ritton ot their own eloice' As a resrrlt' people

i',i,;i;i;;';:.;i;i;;;;'i;.ni,,o jii'is,liet io.s nr. forced to choosc lrtrvten
;.;:ii;;'[ i,,iii"i,'r,,a.,: iiio o,iri,ir" cir,t:rrr.sr^,ccs ,f nrL lx,irrs nl,lo to

clroost: tlreir owrr n*.oi,i,,,lolr,'iu.ioiiiug l.lroir riglrt.lo vot'e' TIro (lour'

;iii[; it'"o".u.nua ti;;i:';;;; p"opio i'itiris sitrrttion do in fact' clect

i;i#;;t til;#;lsi,i'i;-.rtu. otr,*s m11y havo their actual preferencc

.L
/,r\J J.

240



rlly rcjectej
requirement
,endnrent, in
'ongr:ess ex-

ral findings
,t extension
'rnedies rvas
urination to

'portance of
rhe hearing
,ring justifi-

a expnessed
'tions to the
I bailout set
,re proposed
satisfies the'
irailout, pro-
rggestion in
',,e Section,5

ti .

th'e consti-
, anl'event,
w.

'heir rights
' within the
i. rqd those
'rle to read
ial and the

r,ese groups
ir vote un-
rrch groups

polls and
.ill not ,be

.,:ant efrect
,reed assist-
,s mav feel
y he irisled
.ult. people
,sc between
rng able to
Tlre Ctom-

r fact elect
lrrefr.rence

at the polls.zo8

VOTING RIGHTS ACT AMENDMENTS
P.L.97-205

overborno by the influence of those assisting them or bc mislcd into
voting for someone other than the candidate of their choice.2o'

To limit the risks of discrimination against 't oters in these specified
groups and avoid denial or infringement of their riqht to vote, the
Committee has concluded that they must be rrermitted to have the as-
sistance of a person of their orrn choice. The Committee conclrrtled
that this is thb onlv lsay to assure meaningful voting assistance and
to avoid possible intimidation or manipulation of the voter. To do
o{,herwise would deny these voters the same opporiunity to vote en-
joved bv all citizens.

The Committee has concluded that the onlv kind of assistance ihat
will make frrlly "merning{ult'the vote of the hlind. disabled, or those
who are unablc to reed oiwrite, is to permit them to bring into the vot'
ing booth & person u'hom the voter trusts rrnd who cannot intimidate
him. Since blind, disabled. or illiterate voters have the right to ('ptrll the
Iever of a voting machine". they have tltc riglrt to do so without fear oI
intimidacion or rn anipulation.

The Committee intends that vrrter assistance procedures, including
me&sures to assrrre privacy for the voter and the secrerv of his vote
i,c eiiaUti.t ed ia a fi*nr"i nhich encour&ges greater paiticipation in

-o 

g"" ,.Ja-J8. 5o-G3.
-iL;'en;-ltile recelved tuformAtlon tndlcnttnc thst harlnc arslntance prorldad bv

etectton-omc-tiin'dticrlmtnat." aFnlnst those roler8 who De€d such . l.l becaule lt lnfrlnce!
ir.nri-ii "ti-ititrf tn C seeiei bittot and ctn digcoyrace manv I'otn \Ttlnq tor fenr of
ihtiii.fdaii"n-bi ia"x of ""'tiici'.'iptt.i from Janren GsEbel. N^tlonol tre-de-tatlon of the
iijt;lt:-i"-S;r;ioi-V"tzenUaurn-,'ADrlt 27, tgE2 (m8de part o( the recotd ot the Commlttee
meetlng to conrlder 3. 1902.)

lpage 631

our electoral process. The committee recognizes the legilimate right
; i^r;;"ti;; tI' .."t 

"ur 
itt 

". 
*oty el ection"p 19cedu res, -sub j ect to the

lii.i*iai,ii, i,.i""ipt" tt rt-such pr6cedures shall be designed to protect

the, rights of r.oters.
state provrsrons would be preempted only tothe exlent.thot-they

,nf,;;6;t,1;1h; "igtt 
t..dgtir"ri in this-section, with t'hal' deter-

;il;il";Linn o p""Etical on-e dependent upon the facts' Thus, for
;.#;i;, " i'r&.air" ""ria ""t.aeiy.the 

assistance at some t::flii:l
ii;;;;iiit ito"u* during which asiista.nce lvas ne€dd, nor
proria" tfioi 

" 
p.r.o" *,,Fa U" denied assistance solely because he could

iend or write his o\rn n&tlle.'-Av-i".tuai"g1y,u 
Utina, disabled and persons unable to read or write

unaii.-l-tiir proi'irion, the'Committqe d-oes not require that each.group
oi individu'als bc treated iclentically for purpos6s of voter- assistance

;il;e;;.. States, i." &"*pte. might hove-reason to authorize dif-
i"rl"t tinas-of assistance f& the 6lind as opposed to the illiterate.
T,io Co*-ittee hui-iimply concluded that, at the leost members of
;;;i, il;;p "." "riiit.a i6 issistance from a person of their own choice.-letf 

statls ,o"' p"n"ia" somc form of vo-ti1g assistance.for handi-

"rpped 
voters. The implicit rerluirement of the ban on literacy tests

in^6"..oa ju"irai"tio"i u'hich the 1961-r Voting Rights .Agt imposea,
ir ttot illitdrate uot r. in those districts may nit be-denied assistsnce

This stultifying provision (barring assistonce tg illiterates)
eonflicts rvitlitlrtiVoting Itight.s Act. of tO0f. Thc.Act.pro-
,iao. inr the suspension'6f Iiielucy tests in stutrs rvhich ltave

241



LEGISLATI.VE JI]STORY

used such tests &s r cliscriminatory der-ice to prevent Negroes

i..r--rosistering to vote' Like ony other law' this provtston

i-"J.iiii"l.ir.i!r ,ritt it all means necessery and _prope.r to '

#i;";;i "'fr;;;;;'"i,'ii'u-pu'pn"' 
of the lair" As Louisiana

;;"s#;ii;;i;d:'{-;; ft o'1 ittit"'ute is entitled to vote' he

is entitled to assistance Lf tt" pol]s tlict will make his votc

ir,iri,ief'r: w";;;i;i i;pri; L cong'*** the.sclf -defeating

;;ti;;-ti;t'"t iriiiot,,t"-iinL tt'" rigSt'itol pull thc lever of a

;;iiil;;;ffi;;;;i';; II* 'igr't 
io kno*i for whom he purls

the lever.2oo

The 19?0 temporary suspension of litera-cy tests nationwide' made per-

manent in l9?5. *""* it "t a d_enial of issistance to illiterate votels

i;;il1#Ji;ilr" i;;;; in conflict 'rith 
the Voting Rights 4it' at **

ir^auri.oi.,a""t source of thc right of illiterate votors to asstsClnce rn

;;;';;;;"il th;; it;;'E'i'*f iea *herever sueh assistance is

;fiii";l"l; oir,.it.ti,ps iuch 
"s 

the blind or clisabled'".

Therefore, this amen'dment does not crelte & le.w riglrt of the speci-

fiecl class of voters t";;;;i;;;*ti.t"r."; rather it irnpliments nn exist'-

ffi ;[fr";y ;il;dt.s'ffit'";f""i'ii'enie"t'' as ]to the manner irr

'which voters may choox' to receive assistsnce' In foct' many states

;iffit, ffi,;.i;;t.;;;iil"-* Lr:;n;";on of the voter's choice.-section

W*tfl*"uw*s"tie5;i;il#id'i#e:r+;:;l'):,fiji';i"iflJi"i
T;r-3ii;r"vi.!fr*I,'&ll;.s.,Bl;.'fr'".tgoffii-lBgoir,iflfrl-',ll',ttlf',3?,1?o 

(o'o

Cfr. f9?1)' lnjunctlon 8ra

lPage 64I

4ofthebillsimplyextend.s.thisrighttoblind.disabledandi]literate
citizens in atl statrs]ii"iIif," b.nimitt e's'r'iew 1tr9t this is.the most

;Hilii:"';;thod-ot-pror;iaing assisra^ce while at the same ttme @n-

i;.";iil io the pattein alread! in use in rnanv states'
'"'di'"iitr"+"Ji It 

" 
fiff would not permitthe-vote-r's-employ.er or agtnt

of that emplover t ;t;;id;assiit"'""' It would also preclude assrst-

a.nce bv an 6fficer or ogent of t'he voter's unron'-^t ;t";ii[;;#:h;;-;;, that trris employer limitatior.r. does not

f"cj,k1#il'#tr-tf-re;*''si#[f,.'ffi r#*,
;iir"*";i; N# M;="i:; p";[or reserratioi-. To being with, many

of thcse communrr.Js i"iuu"ffi"" *u[-i"* ..plovers. Iii addition, it
;i#t'";pil;h;ffii;;;;.i or.tn6 memberi of the 'illage 

belong

to the sa.me reglontr ?i ii ll'is; 
"u[i"" 

to"poration.;-th e 
.C.o.mm 

i ttee rec -

ognizes that a ort";';;;;i'i"if " 
iat"* torporation nrember to assist

irithe voturg booth ry;y ;ilih" opporr"t of a technical violation

of the emplover uo". in""itt'er cas-e, hbo-ever' the commit'tee coneludes

that the burden o"'if,"'iiaitia*1;l iigtt to choose a-trustworthv as-

sistant would be too Ailtt;j;tity "p[ti""tion 
of the bar on emplover

n."ittr""". \

Itshouldolsobenotedthatthebanonassistance.byanagentoftlre
employer or by an #;;;;ifi;;; oi ir* uoioiis,rnio,i does not extend

to assistsncc uy 
" 

,o'6.Lt 
"o-*oit"", 

or fellow union'member' '

Tir
l,hat I

conri
ond i

untii
Sec(,'
fndi
lang
nant
cat.ir'
SOV().

Sc
gu&i
trvel
$feSl:'
supp
Fret
firia.
Vilrr
and
the ;

T1
sivej
fror,
(ami.

a:
d.

;
his ,

tle
8SI,
Anl
''jrl
tn':
in.
irr
per"
o!',

I
lx.
is
pu
rx,
.rit,
lur,
i.,-.(,

0.:r

t'l
li'
It'

242
rt ;i
rlr



663 F A6eg
g@,1

JoL^ A,Ce,vrn,