Brief of Amicus Curiae the Washington Legal Foundation in Support of Appellants

    tt

th-

No.83-1968

LS TM
uFrPffP @sartsf thP lflnitrh States

OctosEB Ttsnu, 1985

LacY H. TEonsgIrBG, et aJ-,

APPelIa.nts,
v.

Rrr,rs GlNcues, et al.,
Appellees.

On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Easterri District of North Carolina

BRIEF OF .{jYICUS CL:RIAE
TEE WASEINGTON LEGAL FOUNDATION

IN SUPPORT OF APPELL.A.NTS

DnNrrrJ. Poreo
Gtoncp C. SMrrE '

WesarxcroN LEcAL FouNoerroN
1705 N Street, N.'W.
\trashington, D.C. 20036
(202) 8574240

Attom,egs ior Amictn Curiae
W oslting tan L e g al F att'ndatim,

* Counsel of Record

WrEor{ - E at PllNtlxo Co.' lxc- ' 7e9'oo96 ' WatHlxcrox. O'C' 2OOOI



QUIISI'IONS PRIISENl't', l'

l. Whcther l,ho Vol'ing Rights Ac[ reqrrires sta[es to

Aori*" elecLion tlistrict' artrl procetlu'es rvhich, wherever

the eoncentrttion of nrinoriby vo[ers is stllliciently large'

*iff .rr,frfo minolities [o dictate elec[ion outcomes if they

iulhere to minori[Y bloc voting

2. Whether tho tlisl'ricl' eottrl' in lhis ease relietl ex-

..*iuuty ott a Senlte Jrrrliciary Cornrnittee lleport's pro-

no*."r.nl,s as to l'lle tneaning of Secl'ion 2 of the Voting

nigiri, a"t, to tl,o cxclttsion n} U'o language of the sl'a[-

ute i[self.

3. Wlrel.her tho failure of uott-tninoriLy ci[izens [o vote

in sufllcient nutnbers for minoril'y enntlidntes in a glvett

jurisdicl,ion nray eonstiLute gt'ountls for holding that' jtt-
'risdietion in violation of Section 2 of tho Vot'ing Itight's

Act.

4. Whether the district eottrt erred in holding t'hat

. there is a tlegree of polarizctl voLing sullicient to sustain

, uiotutio, oi l,h" Aci whenever the results of a district/s

l*1i;;* woultl differ tlepenrling upon the t'aee of the

,'bh., whose voles were counted'

Iri
(l)



TABI,E OF CONTENTS

QUDSTIONS PRITSt NTED .'-----'.'--'--

TABLE OF AUiIITOITIiIIDS

INTERASTS OF ATIICUS CURIAE

STATEMIINT OF TIII4 CAST'

SUMMANY OF ARGUMtrNT

ARGUIT{EN'r ...---.-.----------

l'agc

I

v

1

3

3

4

I. TIID DISTRICT COURT T4RRED IN INTER'

T,NNIINC TIIE VOTING ITIGITTS AC'T AS

iiroucu IT cuARANTIDtcs MINoRITItrS
isArfr" DIs'rRICTs ENABLING 'I'IIIEM To

CONT'NOI DI,IICTION OUTCOMI4S BY RA'

CTAL BI,OC VO'T'ING

A. The Court Improperly Discounted n Provetr

Itecorcl of Minority Politicnl Access nntl Elec-

tiott Success

B. lfhe District Coult Erronoottsly Applierl the

Act ns thorrgh I[ Gunrnntecs Minorities a

Minlmtlttt Shnre of Politicnl Polver' ns Orr-

Posetl to l4qrrnl OPPortunity

C. 'Itre Corrrt Applietl n Ctearly Drroncotts llt-
terpretntiotr of Illegal Vote Dilutiolr '-""-'-""--

D. 'I'he Dis[rict Cottrt ftrrred itt lnterprcting the

Corttrovcrsiul Senal;e Jutlicinry Committec

Itelnrt ns Though It lVero thc Stttuto-

II. TIIE I)ISTIUCT COUITI' DRRI}D IN ITS

CRITICAL NDI,IANCE ON'TIIE ITACTOIT OF
ipol,Anlzrql) vorING", WIIICII IS TorAL-
r,Y TNVNIID AS AN INDICATOR OF VOT-

ING nIGII'I'S ACT VIOLATIONS'-""""""'-'-'-'-

11

13

(iii)

18



lv

TAIILE OIf CONTENTS-Con[irrrred

A. Polarized Voting ls n PrevnlettL Americnn

Voting Ptttern-------

v

TAI}I,D OT AUTIIONITITdS

Page Cases I'oge

B. Tho Court Appllerl an Uttrensonnble -Stond-"- 
;ri in findlng 'fhnt n "substnntivcly Sig-

,rii,"*rt" Degree of Polnrized Votirrg Exis[ed"

Anderson a. Ifiar|irl, 3?6 U.S. SgO ( f 064) - """"""-"' t2,Zlt
Coltins o. Citt of Norfolh:,606 F.Supp. 377 (lI'D'

Vn. 1984) "4,20,24
Do,vidsott. a. Gartlnet, S?0 F.zd 803 (01'tr Cir. 1907) " 16

I)oaa a. Illoore,630 lr.2d I f 62 (8th Cir. 1979)."'-"' 7-8

I n Re D uq.ns, 462 T.2d 1 239 (D.C. Cit. 197 ll, cert'
denieil,4O8 U.S. g30 (1971) -.- -------...------l 16

G enextl B t Liklitttt C on h'actot's A ssocirttiott, I nc' 7t'

Pennsrllaania,llZ S.Ct. 3141 (1082) Z

Ilurdirt, tt. Ikrtluclcll Utilit7 Comntissiort, 300 U'S'

I (10C8) 1,7

,fortcs tt. CitV of Lttbboala, 7127 F.Zd 364 (6th Cir'
1084) ...,.--.. - 18,21

,fortlan o. City of Grccnwood, 634 lr.Srrfrp' 136I

(D.Miss. 1982)......--.. l0
Ifirlcsey a. Cittt of ,lue.lcson,6:|3 F.z(l 650 (6th Cir'

1981) ...---...- ----- ------12-13, 19, 26

Illctnytlds Firefrlllttcrs a. Stotls, 104 S.Ct' 25?6

(19'84) 2

Na,tionnl Associatiort of Greelittll Catil PrfiIishers
u. t/.S. Postn.l Seraie'e.,103 S.Ct' 27f7 (1083)-."-' 1'l

Portet'a.Il[rtn'ay, Gg F.Supp. 400 (D.D.C. 1946)---- 16

Seamotr. a. (-l1ilxmt, 63G F.Strpp. 031 (E.D'Tex'
I$82), alf' d. sub tlont Stralce a - S ea nt on, I 0l-r S'Clt'

63 (1984).-.. 7,ll
I'erre.zas a. Clencnts, 681 F.Supp. lil20 (D.Tex'

l$84) ......... -------------.---- -7,\1,24
Uttitcil Statas a' Ii[uengo Cotttttlt Connnission' 731

F.zd 1640 (tltlr Clr. 1984) -------.-- 18

lJtt.il.etl Stcchuorlcers o. lll'ebet', 44n U.S. 103

l0

23

26

(ro7o) ..__....-_

llltite o. Regr,ster,4lz U.S. ?66 (19?3) l0

C onstit tttional an tl S tahttot'y Auth.orities

42 U.S.C. Scc. l0?l (lr) -------------- 13

42 U.S.C. Sm. 1O?B -...........passim



vi

' TABLE OIr AUTIIORITItrS-Continued

Lcrislatioa llistonl

II.R. 8112
i. R;;. N".9?-41t,9?th cons" 2tl sess' (1982)"'-"

M is cellfifi otr Autl t'or ities

Levy nnd I(ramer, Tha tlttmic-!":?'t IIow Aner-

iaa's lfiinoritiis Deciite Dlructions (Simon &

Schuster, 1972)-""""'
IL Davis, Aa'"t*l'itii" t'"w Trcatise Sec' BA'81

(10?0 SUPP') -'-"""'*"-'-'
Elaction'st, Ilaiiio'olc' National Journal (Oct' 2$'

1983) .--------

Cavnnagh nna 
-iiotiui' 

Dlectiott'-'81' lleqort #2''

Jesse Jo'clcs'i" Ci"r'"ign: Tha Printofies anil

Catt'cuse$, foi'f"-A (Jolrrt Center for Politleol

Studies, 1086) ""-"--'

$tqrrutru Orrrtrt rrf IIp lltuilrril Stutpr
Osronnn Totttvt, 198{r

No.83-1968

Lrrcv II. TttonNnunc, et al',
Appellants,

v.

Rllru GINGLDS, et al.,
Aytltellces.

IH Tttn

Page

16'
14-18

22

16

6,22

20
On Appeal front ttre Unlted St'rttes District Court- 

foijttru Dnsterrr Dlstrlct of North Cnrolinn

IIIIIEII OF ANTICUS CUNIATq

TIIE WASIIIN(II'ON I,I}GAI' IIOUNDATION
IN SUI'I'ONT OF API'TiI,LANTS

IN'ITNNESTS OII AMICUS CURTATN

The Washington Legtrl Fountltrtion (WLli' or Fottntla-

,i*i is a nat]onal nonprofit' public- interesL law eenter

ii*t'orgnges in lil.lgnl.ion anrl tho adrninistrntive process

in ,rott""J alfecting'the broad prrblic interesb' WLF has

niors l,harn 80,000 nretnbers locatetl tltroughottt the Un-itetl
'Si""rl 

i^.luding in tho Stato of Nor.th Carolina, whose

interests the l"ounrla[ion represents'

This brief is frled with thc written eonsent of nll ptrtics'



2

WLF focuses its litigntion el[orts olr eases of nation-

wi,fl Jgnineitttee zrffeeti"ng t'he liberl'ies atrtl valties of it's

nrembers. The Foun<llrtiol has lreen espeeitrlly tretive in

eases challenging rnisguidecl anrl overbt'ond applieations

"r"i.,r"t,J 
civ'il iight-s'i*t"' f"or oxnrttplc' W['F !r-as 

nle-a

ntnicus briefs wi*, lf.is Coult itt sueh eases as Manplfis

itrnirllt,o* a. stuiti,' roa s'ct' zrza (1tt84); Getw,al

nrrh,riirrt Cotrtractors Assocrnbinn', Irw' a' lrctrlt'syluwia'

irii s.ct. 3141 (1g8z); antl l|nitetl steeluorlcers 7)'

tiit,ti,444 u.s. 1g3 (1ti?9). In thcse cases' wLF-has

.,,n*i.tontty presserl f;he view tlrttt the eivil rights laws

lrrrriao lefiaf protecl,ion for nll Arnericnns antl cannot be

i,rrrt.,t to"jtrsiify reverse tliscrinrinal'ion or cxacting rep-

aral,ions from any class of citizens'

In this case, WLF seelrs to protect the int'erests of its

rnembers agninst I funtlnment'nl tlistortion of the fetleral

Vrtirg- Rifihts Act. I]he tlecisit)tr on appeal het'e-nntl

,',,r,r,ulr* ithar fetle.nl rlecisions of sir,ilar [hrusL-pur-

pot'ts to grtat'anLee prcferretl nrinori.l'y gl'ouPs the- right

in ,lu,n"nl "Bafe" elecl,ion tlistricts nllorving thern. to tlic-

tate eleclion outcomes tht'ouglr racial bloc voting for

irino"itv canrlitlntes. In so holtling, the rlistric[ cour[

rvould mandrrle :r fortn of prolrorl'ional rellt'esentntiorr-by

raee which Congress expressly rejectctl in the 1982 VIIA
Amendtttents.

Itrven ntore tlisturbingly, the tlecision elevales tho eom-

monpltco pltcnotncnon ii l'pola''ized voting" lo \ pivot'al

rolo,intlcterminingwhetherstateretlistrictingplansvirr-
late Socl.iorr Z of fhe VIIA. After tlclining tha[ concep[

itr [etrtts broatl cnough to npply virl'ually evet'ywhere'

lho dis[ric[ cour.[ hcli that tire per.sislenco of pohrizetl

,,,titig rnrry cnn,le,nn tr sl,tte or ltrc:rlity to pet'pet'ual tron-

cotnpliatttce with the VRA'

'l'he cottt't's intet'pretat'ion of Sec[ion 2 in this crtse

thtrs entaits att omittous threat l'o l"hc voting atttottomy

ni rronrninorigos irr eountless jur.lstlicl,iorrsl ulless they

3

elinrinate polarized voting (i'e', the eommon situation

wlrcre whitee tentl to voletlifierently than blach.q in rela-
' ;i;;';'u 

"unaiaote,E 
r.ace or lris ,osition on racial issues)

iV ,riirg eornpliantly fot' tny -rninority 
cantlidats who

ni1r""r', in the ballot, tlreir local election systems can be

invalithl;cd and enjoinecl by federal eourts'

WLF's brief will uniquely foetts on the foregoing q9!-

cerns. In the briefs fileil prior to t'he no[irtg of prohable

juristliction, neither tlro Norl,h Carolina appellants nor

it u Urrit",l States ts unicu.s curiae cltllenged lhe vet'y

,"tiAityofpolarizerlvotingasnnindicatorofSection2
violabions. it'hi. briof rloes so. Thus, WLfi' will present

signilican[ argutnents which no existing par[y to this

ease is likelY to Pl'ess.

STA'TT}TIENT OTI I'IID CASD

In tlre interests of blevity, the amicus euriae adop[s

the statement of the ease set forth in the brief of the

North Carolina apPellanLs.

SUNTNIATTY OF ANCI'MENT

l. The tlistriet cottt'b misnpplietl Scction 2 of the Vot-

ing Itights AeL ("VllA") in sLtiking tlown the..North

cn"r.olina retlistricting plans. The eour[ inexplicably dis-

regarrlerl tle eo,vi,cing and dispositive p'.of that bllcks
in atl the elrnllerrgctl rlistricts lratl achieved elfcctive

ilecess to the politietl proecss throttgh tlemonstraterl suc-

eess :r[ the polls hy black eandidaLes. Ib ert'otreottsly

ttssttlttetl t,hat, the VltA reqttires t'hlt, whenever the

stntc's Ininoli[y poptrlntion pool is lat'ge enottgh' some

cleetion rlisl,ricls 
- 
rnus[ be fashioned so thrtt minority

,oting btocs will nlwnys be able to tlichl.e election t'esttlts

ontl a"ssure the r:lection of minority eandidates. 'fhe cotrl.t

iurther e..etl in resling i[s tlecision upon l,lre otte-sitletl

;i;;, of ir non-eo,[r.olling p'rtio, of the legisla[ivc his-

toryofthelgs2vltAamentlments,t.atherthtttlttllolt
the llngunge of thc statute itself'



4

2. Tho eottrt's dccision wns bnscrl rrpon it's el'l'oneotls

vicrv tilnt tlre pcrsistcnce of racially polrrizetl voting ottt-

*.irlfo *r.ll positivo evirlenee as proven blaek neccss to

key elccterl posLs in rletermining rvhethcr there is 'n

Section 2 violntion' In ruling tlral a district ntusL elim-

I*io p,,fnrizerl voting to b! syre .9f compliance with

thc VltA, tt.,e co,r,i inconstitrrtionally pentrlizes .a loettl

grr.i"ir"ru sinrpl.y bcc:trtse il's citizens t'ef,ttse to eott-

forrntlreirvotingbehirviortotlreitlcologicrrlpr'erlilee-
ii,,rr" ,f n ferlerai- court. FurtSct', even if pols'iz'etl v.t-

il;;; a v:rlitl iit,nu* [es[ fol. VllA conrplittnce' [he

coul'I applicrl a grossly over-inclrtsive rlefinition of l'he

eoneep[ rvhich gnur-nitith farthcr than l'tre Act's slnnrl-

rrds o[ cqttll neeess :rtril cqtrtrl opporttrnity t'cqttit'c'- 'l'ltc

rlisbric[ courl,,s iriierpr"tni,ion nnrl tpplieat,ion. -of 1]:
i,"i^t:t^A ,"ting ft;hr is ult'irnrrtely incotnpat'iblc wiLlt
.Ut,e 

eoustittrtional right of nll eitizens to vote rts t'hey

plerse, for anY rensolr'

ANGUMEN'I'

I'rclinrlnnrj' Stntemen t

'fhis etso iltvolves n funtllmcntrrl and rllngerotrs tlis-

tn,tio,i of tlrc principlos which originrlly rnotivatterl the

n;ii;; irigt,L. Act oi 1e65, 42 u's'c' sec' 1e?3 (here-

after iefarlied to as "VRA" or thc "Aet") '

The purpose of the VllA wts to gttarantce to all Amer-

ieitns, regirtrlless oi tn*u, the rigl't"-thc oppottunity, tntl

lhc ftcctlotn to vote for the urirrlitlules of l'heir ehoice'

Notrvillrstantling the lanrenLc of t'hose ryho thrivo by

cultivtting Sriur,,'"*', tito Vnn Irls strcceerletl' Illaclr

,,rLot' t'usI*tial.ion nnrl blach vot'ing ltltve growi :Li:
rnottsly since l90l-r, antl

:iilI;'l-"ii;;;;;,;,'s" or bt'r"t's'esistcrctl t.,..nnlo :":l
t,_;i"; orrL'to vote 

-now 
crl,ceads l.hat, of whil.es.' Poll

I Ser., a.11,, Collitts t' CitU ol Not'ftilk'. li0l-r F'Supp' 3?7' ilSl'r

(E.i;.vi, ilis4) (nltowhru nlgnlnctrntlv lrlghcr rntcs of votor rcgls-

5

l,axes, literacy test,s, nlttl other obstaeles to black politictl

p^t'ii.if-ti"n-atr,l ,nting have all been tlismanlled' Rlacl<s

n,'" "u,,ni,lg 
for :tntl enptrtring electivc oflices in tlll-

i,,'*..rr-,L.,f nrttubet's throughotit the Nation-irtcltrrling
in l,he DceP Sotrth.

Ilut sottto litigiotrs etcntettts arc ttot' eonl'en[ wi[lr equ:rl

"..o*. 
io thc pi,liticr,l pf'ocess ttrcl erlttltl oppotl'trniLy to

,ni" f,,t' the eirnrlitlate of one's choice' Ilncottl'ttgctl :tnd

irr*"f,.a lry srveeping cottr[ intel'prehtions of t'lrc 1932

ainen,l,rortl,t to ttio VttA, the nppellces ttntl .thet's itt'e

now."l,.in'inga..t.igltt''Lhatlvasnevcrconlelnplnterllry
C"ttgtu.tt in" p:rssirig l.hat legislrttiott: t'lre mrtnd:ttot"y

io,lrri,,ti,,,, of is:rfe" rninority election rlist,ricLs wltct'evcr

a rninoril,y poptrllrtion b:rse is ltrgc tlllottgh to :rllow for

such (list,r'icts to lrc rlevised'

'l'lte rlecisir)ll oll irllpeitl hele urlopts tlrat sallte tlis-

tortetl approltelt to l.lre ctrtiousty evolvirtg jtrrlicilrl conccpt

;;;;,,ai;,; r'ights". ll' holtls that clecl"iotr tlistticts ntttst'

be en,llosiy *irap,rl rnrl t'eshnperl rrnt'il l'hey :r[ lasL pro.-

tlu.. " 
,rfti.iorll.y comrnnnrling nr:rjolil'y of 'tninot'it'y"

votet's. Moreovct', il, pl:rdes disposiLivc significttnee otr

l,he ntislentling anrl misundersl'oorl conccpt of "prllttriz'etl

,rii,,g'; in diitling rvhel'her a-.juristliction is in violrt-

ti"n 6r lhe vRA. 
"Untle" the rlistricl, coul't's vicrv, only

[t n.o juristlictions whet'e a rnajotity of whil"c votcrs eotr-

;i.;l;;,;lv uo[u ru,. bl.c1 cantlitl:rtes (wh^rever 6rcir vicrvs

u,'- nuuiin.trtions) can lvoirl thc stigmr of "politrizerl

""tltif; 
rttttl lr jurlicial rletertnintttion of non-cotnplittnce

with the VIIA.

Naither thc vRA nor its l0B2 arnentlmctrts nrrthotizetl

the courts Lo rlictatc l.he fashioning of "sflfe" districts for

mittoril,ies, or to cotttlernn jurisrlictions for violntirrg the
in :rtr inet'e:rsing ntttnber of juris-

trntbn ttntl lttrtrlrttt ntlron[r bllrcks thnll flnrong rvhltcs in Norfolk'

fiiigf^l^.1 In the lt)82 (iotrglesslonnl etectlorrn' blnckr ttrrnetl orrt

to ;.i; ni n l,lgl,el rnlo l'hlir rvhites ln nlne ntntes' Scc Nntlorrnl

irurlrr,f, fitectiit'81 llnnibook, p. 2208 (Oct. 20, 1983)'



6

VRA rnerely bccatrse the majority -of white voters in

those jurisrlictions i*'" 
-"ot 

gencinlly votctl for blrck

canrlitlrtes. Yet that is cxacilf, lrow .thc 
cour'[ below lttw

;ilil;,i-i1," vRA ; tire North Cllrolitrrt comnrttnities :tt

isstre in llris etse.

'l'his Cotrt't shoultl emph:rtic:rlly I'evet'se the tlist'rict

eortr['s tlecisiott ^utt'ti'"''ut'y 
p'"'u"l' the VRA ft'otn lrcing

,rr.A tn pcrpel,tt:rlc t'aeitl iliui*iott rtt the polls for yeetrs

to eolne.

l. TIIID l)ls'l'ltlc'r cotllt'l' DltltDl) IN IN'l'IIRl',[tl]1'-

IN(I 'I'IIII Vtii.iT'TC RIGII'I'S AC'I' AS TIIOT'GII I.I.

(;u^lt^N',l'nns- nrini)RITIItrS'sAFD" l)ls'l'nlc'l's
t,lNA lll,l NG i'ii nnl ;ro co NTnor' D LINC'tloN otl'l"
COI{LS IIY RT1CIAL l}t'O(i VO'l'lNG

A. 1'lrc (lotrrl' lnlprollerly Dlscorrnlcrl n I't'oven ltecord

of I\linollly lttiilcnl Acccss nnd llleclion Srteccss

In hokling tlrrrL the Nortfi cul'olirra rerlisttiel'irrg plans

virrlirt,etl Sectiorr z'.,t tr,o Votirrg Right,s Aet (..VRA,,),

[he tlistric[ .nurt .nniplctely loit sight' of l'hrt legisl:t-

tion's ;tt'oPer object'ive'

Ths VRA does not compel the crc:rl'ion of electorul

tlistricts nr systems which will rrllow mirrorit'y bloc rrot'

;;';;";i;tnio ttu-outcome of ctccrions whclever tlrc[e

irrc sttflicienu l'ai 
'it'iniUntt 

of rninorities from which

to faslrion "u"t 
,ii*t'i"t^"' R"th"t' l'he Act l'er;uires only

iiftJ-.i..t",.r1 rlistijicts must not be rlesigncrl to plevent

minorities f,'n,vr ""ioying 
equat ac(ie$s to the polit'ieal

nrocess nntl an o'p'it-''7'1i,,'tuttittl to- clect reprcsentalives

;; tili, .hoi"o. ai u's'c' sce' le?3 (b) '

Untler: l,hn[ legit'imate sl'nntlrt'tl' .[he 
clrttllcngerl Nortlr

Cnrrtlirrn rlistricts ensily ptss tnttster' 'flre l'ecot'tl eotr-'

tuins cotnlt,'.t,onJ'" o'itloi"o prrrving thtrt- mitrorit'y. vol'-

;; il" h;rl n tclling clTect ori tlrc politicrl powct strrte-

tut'e nntl thnt l'tT cit'elinditla[cs lrav-c etrjoycrl substartial

;;;;.;; i" kcv cloJiurr raees' J'S' App' 34t'3?n; 4?tt'

7

But the Distr.ict cou[t rlirl not ilpply the "eqttal opp(t''-

H,uiiv'; ti'ndnrrl :ts set forth in the stal'trte' Insteatl' it

-rril;n n'tinir,r"t'A thrt cnn only bc srtisfietl if t'he t'c-

rlisLticl.ing plttr essentinlly lytnxtn'l'.eas thut minority

"rn.fi,fnt"-"" 
will hc elecbetl in proportion to [he minorit'y

;i,;;:; "i ilre populntior. yet cnngr.nrr expliciU.y_.r'eiectcrl

.r.ir:,i.ttonrtn,'it in nmentling Scction 2' 42 U'S'C' !cc,
irliitf,f . Antl tlrc t:ourl's htve since mnrle ib clcar t'h:r[

i,'u'o"iro,,p is cntitlcrl . . . to have its political clout maxi-

mizerl." S,,nnrotr, tt. (lpham, t-r36 F'Supp' flill' 91!- (]t']]'

f.*. fOAZI , a!!'il l,rrtli rtom St'ralae tt' Sec.rnoil' 105 S'Ct'

03 (lgB4) lernPlrrsis atlrletll'

Vlriotts deeisions ltavc t'ecognizetl th:rt l'ltet'c calt lrc

,n'",,gnir^ftle viol:rtion of Section 2 itr tt rlist'icL where

rninorities hnvc tchicvetl sttbst'rtttirl sttccess in gaining

,i".o*, to hey elective oflices antl poliLit:tl posts' l!'fl:
ii,ron ,,. Ifloo:re,1-r3g F'2d 1162 (Bt'h Cir" 1t)?9)' A fintl-

i"g ,f consislcn[ly ittlvct'se eleclorrl t'csttlt's for minoli[y

eanditl:ttes is tr ttecessat'y, thotrgh tloI lt sttfftcient' elc-

inn,,t nf n Scction Z ttnirir untler tlre result's test' See
'S,ionurr, ,. (Jplm'm, sllltt'r-; Tcn'azos a' Clcmenls' 5Bl

F.Supp. l32g (D.Tex' 1984)'

Ilerel,hetlistricl.sitrqttestionttrerllclritr:tctet'izctlhy
t'ecotrls of pt'oven rninority ncccss l'o infltrent'itl elecl'ive

;;J". Ti," llection of blacir r.epresentatives to ,rese posi-

tions rlentonst.rit[es l'tr:rt'--conti'at'y to thc tlist'rict eottt't's

;.;ii;g-" "s:tfe" blnelt rlistrict in terms of t'itrv poptrl:r-

ii,. ,irig"*ents is sirnply nfit tr.ccessnr.y fot blaclts to pnr'-

i;;iil;;nectivelv i'i lne politicrl ptoeess or-to elecr

i-1ri'"sontaLires ni l.lreir c'hoice, 1'ctrnzas a' Clemcnl's'

su1n'n) 6gl Ir.StrPP. nt 1354'

In Dtlrhlm Cottttt'y, for instanee' onc of thc cotttlty's

thrlee t'eprescnttttives'to the Ilottse lras alwttys lrcett

lrluck since lg?3-even thorrgh less than 29/n of Dut'-

harn Cortilty's lcgistercrl votet's rre blach' J'S' App' 35a'

niii"f.rupresal,tri[ion h*s tlso been substttn[ial' ttn. ofLen

ti,r, n*roit of whrl propot'tiontl represetrl'ation would



B

plo(luee, oll the County Commission'.the Cottnty Bonrtl of

iifu.Lionr, anrl the C*'ntv Democral'ic I'rrrl'y lendership'

This tlegrce of ptoven minority nccess l'o key polil'icnl

olliees is in iLselI incompttible with 
-a 

clnim of unlawful

vota tlilution- tl,,n-i"dioora, 639 F'2ti at' 1153-66'

Tlte sirnte hetrlthy rlcgree of access Lo l'he llolit'i-c-tl

p*,.."t'ir'ortr,t,ti.ttot t'o"yo'tl quesl'iorr in the other tlis-

lricls ltetc in isst'e' Tt'u City of Chnrlotl'e has :r blael<

;;;t; ;;;,r thorrgh the citv poptrlntion is orrtv 31% !l^ltt'
Irl. rrt 35rr. Irr Irorsytho iounly, trvo ottt of five (40%l

memSers of t1e ff.*.u if"f.Sati;t, itrc 6lite1, even th,ugh

only 22Jb of the eottnt'y un-ting- age -popttlttion 
is blnek'

i,f." lrt Wtke Cottnty, 'uhot" 
otnly 20'/o of the vo[ing agc

p"p,,f,,,,i",r- i, trt*.t,,"o htttttt t*nititlrtte. t'eceive. .hc high-

cst vole total in o' if-i'itn Detnoeratic ptimrtry for. the

District l{ottse *n*t's ontl was subsequently clecterl to

[hc eottttl,y'* oi*-,n"'nlter llottse deleglrtion' Antl two ottt

of thc eight eSi'i 
-electetl 

Distr.ict Jutlges in Wake

CotrnbY nte bltch.

'I'ltese ftcts ara sirnply incompatiblc with tlre elclnetrl's

of a Secl.io, z ,iutoiio'i'"'t"lu' fhe VRA Amendtnents of

1$ti2. Untlcr tf,* pfoin lnngttage of tlro s[ltute' a viola-

fi,,i, .*n only bc csbnblished by proof l'hat:

1. The political proeesssJ letrtlilrg t'o tronrinntion or

elee[ion :rre troL uqu"ily open to p:rrt'icipatiott by menrbers

of tlre cornplaining tninoli[y, itr' Llt'ttt

2. its metnbers lritve less ol4rottun'fly th:rn o[het' tnem-

bers of the elq:torate to prrticipnl.e in [he poli[ical plgc:

ess nntl to clect roi,.utoni"tivos of lhei* clroiee, prouitled

t.ha.l.

3. there is no light to ltlve tnemltet's of :t minorit'y

"t,,ctett 
in nurrrhers eqrral to l,heir prtlmrl,ion in the poptt-

lation.

The forcgoing faeLs eonfirm tlrnl' lrlrchs do enjov full

nntl fair ttcecss to-tlre lxrlltienl proecsses in t'lte ehnllcnged

I

districts anrl thnt, they trilve elrjoye{ at lenst, cqtt:tl op-

nnrtunitv to elecl, repi'csentatives of t'heil choice' Were

ffi;;.;; il is sinrplv irnplatrsible thrrt l'lre [orsvt'hc

6"r,rtV }lottsc tlclegtLion wtrirltl be..40l' bla<:lt (ncally

clortble rvhnt propor[ional reptrsetttntiotr wottlrl llrrdtrce) ;

ttrat ttra Durlhanr Cottrrty Ilouse tlclegal'ion rvottltl. hltve

f-*r"r.-thirdblacksinesls?3;orthlttlreCi[yof
Chlrrlotte rvoultl lt:tve it lrlaclt nrnyor'

l'he cottt't ltelorv, holvevet', rvas rvlrolly intliflercnt to

tlris evi{ence of extcnsive fulack ilcccss, prrr'[iciprttittn, antl

;i;;; in thc poli[ic*l ,r'occsscs of the tlistricl.s itt issue'

It wns less concernetl with tlre hurrl f:tct tha[ blachs wet'e

rrlmii"g rrnjor clcctions nl, nll levels tltartt i[ was wiLh

i;;;;,rafi,g uiron l.he tristorical conse'qttences of "pas[ dis-

crirninntoi'y'; prtrc:l,ice.s or the abstrac[ implications of so-

.r,ii",f "poiarizetl voting". Aryl it rvas so preoccttpietl

*ittt ttto nris5cgo[tet, 
'iotion 

that 
'acial 

Sloc voLing by

miiro'ities* rn*s=t bc nllowetl to c.ntrol elect'ion ottLcomcs

that, it, failerl to recognize ttrat blaclts wete abctdy cn-

joyirrg ftrll antl fair patLiciptt'ion in tlre clect'ion processcs
'*iLr,,i,u l.he tlivisivc rreitrl gerr.yrl:rndcr-i5g delnrnrlerl by

tlris tlccision.

Il.Tlrcl)lstrictCour[ErrolteortslyAllplicdtlreActns
thorrgh l[ (.'rr:rrnnlecs llllnoritles n l\Iiniluulrr Slrnrc

of l'olltlctt I'olet', us Opposed to Drlual 0llportrrnity

The I)istric[ Cottrt sct an errolleotls cotlrse from the

outset of its rlecision, rvhen it stiltetl as follows (J.S. App.

at 14n) :

'I'he essence of racinl vote tlilu[ion in the White a'

Il.egcstet setlse is lhis: t'htt prilnat'ily becrtttse of thc

,It is hlgtrly revealing thnt l.he district cttttrt'8 itpDronch to

"ottng 
;ight" i, pruntlr,ui on the vlow l'hnt Lloc votlrrg by lar:inl

mlnoiltl"s ls to ba cxpecterl ntttl nccotntnotlnted (i'e" by gcrry-

mrtttrlcring rlistrlcts to r,llorv sttch blm voting to cotrtrol elect'iotrs)'

wlrilelrlrrcvotlugllyroclrrlnlnjorltlesirrcrrnsitlcrctls()perlticiotrs
thnttttrloncntaygiverlscttlnviolutitrrroftheVltA.J.S.Apt'.
l,ll-16n, 4l.rl, atrrl 4?n.



1l

islttive hisl,ory of tlre Acl,'s 1982 tnrenrltnettt's (see Point

lI)., hr'frnl.

More imlnrtnntly, tlrc tlist'rict cot.tt't itttet'prcterl 'Sec-

ti,,n i us l,horrgh it i'.nr,ets sl'al'es to devise clecLol'ttl mcclt-

*ni*ru* wlrich-will gttat:irnLce tlrc clcction of nrinority ettl-

;i;i;1"; iry facitikrling nrinor.iry bloc-.vorirrg. '1'hrtr is, if
ii i, 

--U 
iU possible 

"to f*slitin n tlisl.rict rvith c,ottgh

blrcks Lo nlwnys gttarrtnleo the elccLion of l'hc "l)lttck"

""niriir*t" 
5y tiicii,,r..rv .unrbcrs alone", thc, L5o cour'l

below rvoutd colnltet the st:tte to tlo so'

,l.hlttviervo[[lrcVltAisinvnlirl;rrttlutrsotttrtl'Asre-
cerrtly statetl by the cottrt in 'l'ert'o'zo's u' Cleman't'$' st'-

2ro, 681 F.Strpp. :rt 1i|5{l-G0:

In lhe altsenee of n rlenirtl of aceess, ot' rlisc.ritttilttt-

l,ory intent, tlre failure [o consolitlate Llttl llnillol'ltyl
uonttttl,lotr rn:ry crltrstiLute a lcss ttlvattt:rgcous polit-

i;;ii-;;;i;ia, i,,,it' ,rrt un' 1rntaulut rcsutl' lerrtphasis

adtlcdl.

1'lre eour[ lrckrrv iilvnlirlntetl ttre Norl.h cilt'olina l'e-

tlistrictirrg plus tttcrcly becattse they fniletl [o provirle n

perfec[ tu'rallgcmelrt, for preemptive t'lteirl vol'irrg t'v Tt-
nori[ies. ,fht[ rvus reveisible el.for, becuuso l,he vltA
sirnplytlocsnott'crluirethesta.Lcsto..tnttxitnizet,lrepoliti-
cal clotrt" of any itcial, t'eligiotts, or cl'ltnic gl'otlp' Se'y-

ltton 7,. IJ1iltttttt, ltt'lrra,630 li'Supp' nt' l)45' All tlrat' l'lrc

Act rcqrrii.es is cqri&l oceess to the poliLical lrrocess-anrl
il,u 

"roirtion 
of "safe" rninoril'y dist'icts is sim,ly no[ n

prereqtrisitc l.o cqtrnl :teeess. I'en'azas u' Clent'an'ts' ytt'l't'&'

681 li'.SuPp. nt 1354.

C..l.lreCorrrtAllplicrlnCtcerrlyl}rrolreotttllntcrltrctt.
tlon of lllcgnl Yote Dilutlott

llhe ovcr.inclusive concept of illcgnl vote rlilution relictl

on-by the tlisttic[ eotttt completely tlistolt't-!l* principle

oi o+,"f ,olil,i.nl irc(:ess rvSiclr urttlet'lies t6e Voting Itights

Ar:[.' lDrlirnl op,.tl.u,il,y for mino.itics to ,:,'tici,ate i.
tlro eleciivc lir.occss rloes not-cottttot-itlcltttlc any re-

10

interac[iott of sttbstatrl'i:rl trrrl 1rcrsis['enI t'neial po-

larizrrl.ion i" ,;;i;; ,tttt'et'tts i'.eiul blrrc vot'ing)

rvith it tttrrrttcngl,i u'ioti't'al tnectrattisnt' t raeitrl nti-

;,;;ity *itt, ,tittincLivc glottp ittt'et'esls l'htl' nt'e ca-

rr:rble o[ :titl ttruiii,"tin'''ii,inlt hy goverltment is olTec-

ii*1,',ill.ir 
" 
i,t, i' ,,it i t'i"il .,to to ir:.Lo [tt'tlrc' tlrose i rr -

l.e'csts t,ltu,t, tr.u,ril,lclr ,'t'u,i tttatild' Ttrcsrnn'TtLitrcly 11iu.a

it in l voLing cilnstit'ucncy tl-ot l'ticillly lrolrtrizcd in

iL" uniiuf filf*iriir:, [cirrtion orrritletl l entplrtsis

trltledJ.

'l'his s[:tl,trnletll, ltttars careful serttLitty' for it stttes.t'hc

.r'iii",it prt')nise for the eotttt's ultimatc rlecision' I[ is a

*intorn",it l,5rt l,5c VRA guarnrrtees milorit,itrs t1e riglrt'

t.o elcckrral tnecltttnism, il'itlt will invnriahlv maximize

ii,*-i,n1,,,"r" of rninori[y bloc v-ot'ilrg,..while ib effcrctivel'y

.nn,t.,ni,* nrttt-minot'iLy voters for f:riling to cmlrrnee..nti-

,o'il,y eantlitlntes 1i.J., ",e'sisl'e,t. ;rolariz:rtiotr")''l'his
is a f*lse :rntl unconsl,iiul,ional inl.er,retittiott of [5e

VITA.

Initi:rlly, tlte cottl'L's sl'tt,emcttt gliblv asserts-that the

nivotal tiecisi,n in White u' Rcllcstcr' 412 U'S' ?55

'iliirii, ltarl enrphrsizal rtcially polnrizetl vol'ing ts a
i;y ;ffi"rt of irnlawf,l r.acial vot.c rlilution. Il.t this

critical poirrt is cornpletely falsc'

'l'lte tttte holtling of l[it'ite is lrighly imlnrlant t'o gttt--

t'ctr[ Sccl,ion 2 :rnni.ysis, becituse l'lre sirlgtc point on tl:l:
nr,rst Congt'cssiottltl cleirlcrrts nglcetl in p:rssing l'lre 1082

nlnentllnettts was l,lrtt they wcre irltcnded to cotlify the

i;;:i;;li;i..; ;f tlctrision in titti,e' a' Itule'stet' Yel' onc will

In^r.ri irt vltin 1ot' rLtt11 ttren[iotr (nrttclt lcss any sigrrifi-

carrt rncntion) of prtlrrr:ized or rircial bkrc vol'ing in Wlt'it'e

ili.' iirllrrrt.u,'s tlisctissiotr of the v:rt'iorts elctrtcnts of :t vttt'o

itit,,ii,,t, elrtim ttntler the VRA' Saa 412 II'S' at 76G-67'

Itt f:tct, l,lte sottrco of the rlis[rict cottl'L's lreilv'y t'cli:tneo

;,i [h" polaliz.etl voting fitctot' w:ts nrtt Whita u' Ilega'sl'er'

;; ;ii lut rrttSer tle in*ccur.r[e por.tr*y:rl .f l4t1,it.c- t.-iini"rtri 
.sct fortS i, r eontrovcrsinl scglnettl; of t5e leg-



t2:
q.iremcnt thal no,-minoritim must sttlmtrlin.te or eom-

prornisc tlreir eonstitu[ionnl righb to vo[e for whontevet'

il,oy ple,,sc, trntl fot' wttatevel tlo^sutt' [{it'lcsey o' Gity ol

Jai,leion., C:t:l t,'.ZA 650, G62 (5t5 Cir. 1081) ; Antl'erson'

t.lIttrtirt.,S?5 U.S. 3g$, 402 (1064).

Yct tlre rlistrict cour[ tied its hokling in this cRse to

l.lre fotlowing extr.aorrlinury ilrtetpl.ektLiotr of vote tlilu-
tiott under thc VllA:

lTlhc tlenttntslrurbte rtnwillingncss of strbshntill
nrlrnbet's of the rncial rnajority to votc for any tni-
noril,y ritee enntlitlttl,e or- any cantlitlal,o irlerrtilietl

wi[lt rninot'iLy race interasts is tlre linchpin of vole

rlilution by tlistricl"ing. IJ.S. App' l4a-15n'l

'Ilre court rnade its position slill cletrrcr rvlten, nftcr
ncknowletlging tlrat ltlacks hrve mntle substantinl progrcss

in gainirrg u...$ to politieal power in thc Nrlrth cat'o-

lina tlistlicLs, it enrplttsizetl that this progress

. has tro[ ltroceetlcd to the point of ovcrcotning
sl,ill entrencleil *reinl votc pola'iztl'ion, nntl inrleetl

Itas tpparcnLly rlone little [o rlirninish the lcvel of
lJrnl, siirglc rnlst ptxverful ftctor. in eattsitrg t'aciitl' 
vote diltrlion. lild. il 47tr.l

1l'tilts, ttre rlisl,r'ict cottt't repe:tLerlly enrlrlrasized its vierv

thrl, l,he nrosl eriLic[l eonrponent of L]re violatiorrs in tlris
c:rse=:luttl tltc "siltgle mos[ porvet'ftrl faclotJ' in [inding n
voto rlilutiorr viol:riion-1va$ the ftiltrre (or "unwilling-
ncss") of white citizcns to vote ilt essetttittlly the snmc'

way ts bllck cilizcns. when one reitds bctrvcelr the lines

of 
'tho 

foregoing pt.onounecmenls, it is evirletrL l"lrnb the

cour[ is issiring it .,6c'.l.oo-sull[lo rv','*ittg l.o No*tlr (lnro-

lint's wlli[e volers. 'l'he wlrning is thnt ttnless l,]rr:y sttrrt

[o vol,e f0r. nriltority cflnrlitliltes (re.glrillless of llrc cnnrli-

rlrrto\ inrlivitlual mcr.it ol' qualil,ics) in "sttbstttl[ill ttttnt-

bers", l.he eottrt witl continue [o holrl [ha[ [here is i'racial
vote rlilutir)n" in thcir rlistricts. Anrl ns lottg :ts.tlte cottt't

[otrls tlurt vielv, it will cgtrl,itrtte [o invtlirlit[e itttrl errjolrt

the rllsl,rict's elecIlottB.

13

'Itris constitrtlm t 1tt'ofortntl tlistortion of t'lre tt'tte gortls

antl principles of llre Vol.ing Riglrts Acl,. 'l]he tlistlict

"nu.t 
lrlitllol.y tlisrnisstll hnrd evidenco thrtl, blacks d0 en- .

joy eqtral ilccestt to l,ho lxrli[ical/elective processes (e'g',

407, ropt.*enh[iort ott llottse tlelegt[ion of tlistric[ cotn'

posetl oi o:nly 2Z'/o blnck vot,cts) lntl focttsetl inste:td on

ihe rllegctlly culprtblo h'ltavior of wlril"e voters in failing
[o alter] [lreir vol,ing prefelcnces itt favor of minority
enrrrl irl:tlcs.

'Ihis cr':rbbcrl antl ptrrri[ive apltronelr to voting lighls
ltw ab:tntlons tlre ltasie clenterr[ thnt, Scction 2 of tlrc

VIIA cnrr onl.y ho viollrterl by l,he rlisel'ilninatory prac-

l,iccs :rnrl ;xrticies of 11ottt:t"tr,rttcttt.s; Section 2 eattnot bo

violaterl by ciLizcns ilr l.lrc exet'eise of their absoltr[e Irilst
Atnenrlmcnt riglrt to vol.e fol' [hc cnntlid:rtc the.y prefet',

for rvlurtever t'eltson. Ifirlcsey, slt.prfl' 6li3 Ir.2d at 062.i

1'ho rlistrict, cottt't's r-rpirrion et'retl in failing to grmp l,his

rlistinction.

l). l'hc Dlstrlcl. (lour[ Drred irr Interprcling lhe Con-
Irovcrslnt Scnntc .Irrrllcinry ()onrmlttee Itcporl' ns

'l'hough I[ \lIcre tlre Stntrrl.c

The tlisl,rict eour[ rvas ablc to reirch it.s et'roneotts coir-

clusiotrs onl.y by ntisitrtet'pt'eting Scction 2 of lhe Act.
Its misintcrptetation rvns hlrtlly sttrprising, howcver, be-

crttse [lte cout'h nevel' evetl aLtentlttcd. to inter'prcL tlre
rettrul langttage of l.he stltl.ute i[self. Insteatl, it rclierl
almos[ exclusively ttltott seleet.etl portions of a SenaLe Coln-

sThe VIIA itself,42 II.S.C. Sec. 10?l(b), Drolibits nny fornr of
lnl.lnrklnt.iorr ot' eoerciort lrrtcntlcrl to lrltcrfetc wlth nny pcrsotr's

rlgtrt "to vote ns he uny clutosc." Ientp]rnsis ndtlerl I llrrI tlre
corrrt'R nrlnronitiott th:rt llre rncltrl nlnjority's "entrent:hed" fnllrrte
to voto for ntirrrtrlty cnnrlklntes nlny resttlt in a violnt.iorr of Section 2

is Itsclf n fornt of trrct'clrtlt or lrrtinridnt.lou itltetrrlerl to nltcr lvhite
votlng bchnvlor. It is lrot fnrfetchcrl to ttrgtte tlrrtt the cottrt's
onrinorrg wnrnlngs eottll thcnrselves violrttc l,he VllA's lrrolrlbltlott
of lrrtlrnhlnt.lott or coerclrtll' wel'e lt trot for Jurllclnl lnrmttttlty.



r5

eompromise. Instelttl, it, l'cflcets only [he one-sidctl aspira-

tions of I frct,iort of Jtrtliciary Conrmitt'ee Settittot's who

firvored the mosL exlunsive inter'1tt'e[ation of sccl,ion 2

l.5ey could llromulgiite wi[lro.I lrilling t5e Icgisl:rt.iorr

altoge[her.

1l'ha eatliet' Ilottse-passetl bill (l{'R. 3112), whieh was

subseqrrently ilrtrorlucerl verb:rtirn in llre setra[e lry l(en-

nerly antl Mlrthiils, hntl t':risetl sct'i0tts eoncel'tls that' iI
rnigirt ultinr:rl.ely t'eqrtire,r.,ot'l,ionnl rc,r'escntatio, of
nrinori[ics zuilong etccterl ollicials. I'o elintitttr[e these

eoncerns, sor:rt0r. l)0lo introdueetl tlre proviso whiclr ex-

plicitly tlisclilinrs l.haI the seetiort cl'cutes any Iiglrt to

proporIiottitl t'cpresenlittiotl.

At the Sentrte tnat'lt-ttlt of tlre bill, Senal.or f)ole atLieu-

latcrl the cssellee of the cornpromiso rvhich finlllly resultcd
(S. Itep. tr| 223) :.

lTlhat is the tlrnrst of our cotnpt'onrise: eqttttl 
-ne-

cess, whel,lter ib is olten; equtll acccss to the political

1rr,,.*ss, not wtret5crj l5ey have achieval ,ro1lo'tion:rl
olecliolt rcsttlts. i

Only rvtrerr Presirlen[ Relgnn signalerl Lhal, the Dole

sutrstitute was itccept:rble l.o him (i.e., tlrat he rvotrld not

ve[o t,he lrill if p:tssctl) rlitl the tlivorgcn[ forces anrl fae-

tions in the l[otrsc ttrd Serrate cotne together to enact

the legislat,ion. Sirrcc the llotrse sirrrply aclopted the Sen-

ztte-pflssetl l)olc subsl.ittrte withouL cltlnge, thcle rvas tro

rrcetl for a Confct'ettce (-blntltittec-and tltet'o wts no

Conferenee comnrittee [epor.t, l'eflecl,ing tlto ttntlerstantl-
ing nntl inten[ of bol.h llottses in ptssing tlrc bill.

Mot'eovcr,'tlrere is tro lrlrrrtsible basis for viewing the

senlte Jurlieinr.y corlrrrril,tce llcpot't-which rvas irrtcnsely

disputetl cuen, mitlitt, tlm.L one antnttiltee ttf otte llottse-
ns thougtr it rcltectetl ttre consensus unclet'slitnrling ltttl
intent of both Ilottses, as well as that of the l'resident'
Ib simply tlid not. l[ r'cfleLctl only Lho strbjcctive views

l4

nriL[ec Ilelmrt.r lltla[ I'epolb reftectetl ,l'hc 
vicws of only

o'-rnn,f".t nrljoriLy of tire Scnr[e 'Iutliciary Cotntnil'tee'

*horun, thc enacfed s[atute rcllectctl a contplcx eonlpl'o-

*it- 1,.t*"en n rvirle variel'y o[ fael'ions in thc ftrll Scn-

nlu 
"nit,f 

the full Ilottse, ns well ts the views of the

Prcsitlent.

'[hc rlist,ricL court's slnvish tdlrel'etlec to the one-sitled

obscrvilLions of l,lre seltnte contrrtitlee lieporl' is tottlly

turrjiistifiafrfe trntler: blnck lett'er rrtlcs of s1al'tt[o,y .irttet-
i,r'ii"tlrr-trut it is ttnrlerstantlrtble in one signi0c;rnt

. resJrect.

Orrly by lreating the Conrtnitlce Ileport as- tlrorrgh it
,"uru [l,o ilo{init,irn-*uilror.it.y on anrenrlerl section 2 coultl

ii* 
",,r,, 

t, possibly jtrs[ify i[s ligirl tpplicaLion of thc Re-

tri'fr r*.nllu,l "r,ine f,r"tors" test (incltrtling "Polarizcd"

fiffi;"; 
-ir,u 

oonrir,ivc sLatrclatrl for rletcrnrining vioh-

tions of Sectiorr 2. Sce S.Ilc1l. al, 28.2t). Antl onl.y lry

1rtr,.i,,g sttclt cxaggernted relitncc on tltc Conrnrittee Re-

irori'ri'ri,re fnetois" cotrltl l'1e cottrt' firrtl n violrtion i,
llic Nortlr Cnr.olirru tlistricts l[ isstte. li'or tlte ac[tt;rl sh[-

,rtn,y tung,tttge of Section 2 nowhel'e ntentions such open-

un,r.rr r*"[u,.*' ns,,1n1*rizerl voting", l,i rr'r.il,y ernploymenL

corrrlit.inns, or political "res1lotrsivsl19511"-4nd' thc 1989

arnc'trrl.nrutl's rtsittld neuet haac passcd' tlt'e full' Scuate ot-

ir,;r, rigrna lty t.lrc I't'esil1,tl hii' sttctr' eonlrouarsia'l und

ii.liii*iui lnclor:s bcen. cr.plicitl,y ineorpornt.cd iil, ilrc slulnl,e.

Tlre ulLirntte lnngutge of ttrr: 1082 ttrneniltnents [o sec-

l,ion 2 was intleerl ,i.n*1)ro''ise of conflicting vicwpoitrts'

Butl,lrescttateJrrtlici:rryConrmi[t,ecltelxrrttloesnoLeven
frogi,i tn r.ellcr[ l.5e tliverse clcmcttts ,f l.h:r[ rntlll,i-pnrl.ito

. S.llelr' No. t|?-,lt?, licpol.t o| tha Se,n//J'/,, Jtuliaiot.y ()onntill.ca ott

S. le!)2, !|?l,h Crtng.,2tt Scss', onlercrl to bc prirrlerl l{ny 2l-r' 1932

(io.o,,fio. r:itcrl .s "S.Ilep."). Scnnt.rs 't'1tlrm,tttl, lln[c1, Ltrx:tlt,

I)olc, flrnsstcy Enst', nrrrl l)ctrton nll fotrnrl it neccssary to nppentl

;i,,roiti,r,,,r,,, .,suplllcmcntrl,l, or rllssentirrg vlcrvs to ilre cornrniltee

Itegxrrt.



16

of sorue elcven ntembers of lho eiglrtcen-tnember Sena[e

JutlieialY Cotnnti[tee.6

Ilrrt lhe cottr'[ below appt'oachetl the nerv sLatullry ltrn-

g,,;go of Section z as though i[ were o mere lfterthotrght

;;'ffi; co.trover.sirl Se,ati Jurliciary Cornrnittee Iteport.

i,i";;-specitically, the cottt't jrrtlgcrl thc North Carolina

itirtri"t" by tho stanrlards oi ttlo'scntte lteport rather

il,;; i,y tlie sl.andartls of the st'll'ute' This violates l'hrr

il,"t rrii,r.iplcs of statutory cottstruction antl' in itself'

is cle:rrlY reversible error'

IL goes without sirying that eommiLtee repolls nre-nei-

tlre" '"n^"t"tl by Cong,.tt 'o" signetl by l'he l'resitlent'

-",i ti,"v simpiy tlo 
-not h:rvo thc forcc of law' In t'a

-lNrou*, 
a6z tn.ia tzso (D.0. cir. 1g?1), cert" tl'an'ied,

408 u.s. 930 (1971).

ln Dauidson, a. Gtrdn'er, !70 lr'2rl 803' 828 (6tlr Cit"

lOAil, the Sixth Circuit correctly stttetl the exh'emely

lirniteil arrlhoril,y of lhe repot't of n single hqttse of Con-

gress rvillt respee[ to interpteting l'he result'ant sttttttte:

' i['he Ilottse Report', i4 this reg:rrtl' rvtts not agrec,rl

to in l,lre Senale Rlporl', Ilor w-ils any ntention matle

of it, in tho Confei'enee Rcport' I'\rc te1tort -ot a

Coriinri.ttn" ol t'he llouse "tlics ttttt -a! y't71 tar l'o

itrou thc ilt.{cnLiott, ol a moitril'11 ol botlt' ltmtses.of

Aii41r'ntt." Portar a'. Mtu'ray, 60 F'Strpp' 400'' 402

(D.l).c. 1946).

As full,lter sl,aLcxl by l,he Cour:t' in Pu'l'c'r u' Illurray'

09 F.Srrpp. tL 402, tht lepol't' of rt singlc eonrttlil'loo of

the Senttl.c is tlistiirctly "less persttasive ott tlre issue of

Congrcssionalinl,cntthantlrereltot'toflcottfet.encecolll-
nriLie,r of both llouses". Acco,d: I(. Dnvis, Atl:mirisl;ra-
_,.-*,u,u 

hnve lrcell n siutlrle rnntter io ligt tlre..nltre fnc[ors',

citerl by the Sonnte llcport in ihe txxly of Scr:tion 2 ltsclf' Whv thls

.uu, n,it rtonc is obvirlrrs: tlre Sennte wotrlrl trtve nevcr lxtsserl tr

lllllrvil.hthosehighlycontroverainlfttctorn'trnrltlrel'resi(letrtrvortl(l
ncvcr ltovo nlgne(l it.

t7

tiue l,n:rtt'l'rao.lise Sec. 3A.31 (1t)?0 Supp') rU 1?5 (:'Tl'"

Irnsie prineiple is [tiitu oto'untary: 'fhe eotrtent of the

l:rrv mttst tlepentl ,tf*" tf'" intent of t'ottt I-Iottses' noL of

just one." ) .

The same lroin[ npplies ltcra rvit'h legnrrl to the sull.

j""ii;; ,iot *^of ttto siti'l' of Judjcitry Cornm.ittee stalt-

Lr, rut u drafterl l.hc Berrale Jrrrliciflry Comrni[tee Report'

ihe Jurlici:rry Conrnri[[ee Report' was sirnply not' a.con-

sensttnl ltgistative antttnttnt, anrl iL provirlcs n highly

ffi; onii ,,n.ulinble intlica[or of the intenl' of l'he whole

Congt'ess.

Confr:onl,ing n sitnitttt dispttte over Congressionll..irr-

terrt anrl legiiative tristory in llordht' u' I.crtt'uclcy Ul'ilily

Cotranissiotrr Sg0 U.S. l, it tfOag), Lhis Cottr'[ stnl'erl:

Wo Lhink . . . thnt the larrgutrge of .the Ae[ in iLs

final for.r, ir'n""nurlirlomisc"anil t'at the viervs of

those rvlro soirght l'trc rnos[ restrictivo wortling can-

not conLrol tiiflt:pteiaLion of t'lte comptotnisc vorsitttt'

Ilet'e, in llte sanre vein, tlte views- of those who sotrght

tt,o-iro*U ,*poni,o-*orrling of Section 2 likewise cannot

eonlrol intetpretntion of the eompronrise legisl:rtio:r' Yct'

lher.e car, be no ,irutrr, thab the Stnato .Irrrlici*r'y Conrrnit-

a;" Rcpor[ plimarily reflects th9 views of Senubors

Mlthias' nn,f X"i,t,eriy-the sntne two senatot's who httl

. ;;i;i;;lly introrlir.cetl n. Senate Bill which wns idcn'tical

l.o l,he firt' nrot'e liberal I'Iottse-passcrl bill (II'R' 3112)'

Since ncitlrer' [hc ilou'n rror the President ever approved

," irin.A in Uro Scnate Comrnitt'ee Rellot'l' i[ i's totally

invllirl for courts to place such erilicnl emphnsis on its

content in eonsLt'tting l'he statute' National Assoaatimt'

ii,J Crortiull Card l'i-ltlislrcrs u' U'S' Postal Set'uice' 103

S.Ct. zztz, 2?Bl n.28 (loBB).

The court's uttqttest'ioning relianee on t'he nine fact'ot's

listett i. tle Conirnitl,ea Reporl, has resttlletl in ^ 
rigid

-l*-r,, scnntor Mnlhlns wtro ,,lllerl the nrnJorlty vlorvs of ure

Cohmlttec)'. tl.ReP. nt l'



1B

,,fuctor-cnunl,ilrg" methotl 0f judgment which conrllletely

obscutes rlrc or;iginal purposes of l.ha Act' Since tlre va-

Iirlil.y of tlre rlisirict, eourl,'s dccision tlepcnrls on lhe c-on-

trrrlling legal fo'cc of t1e Comt,it'lsr lle,orL's "nine fitc-

tot's", i,n,i'sin.u Lhose "nine facttlt's" arc ncithet' prrrl' of

tho stlrtutc' nor it v:rlitl statcrntrn[ of ils ntcilning, t'he dc-

cisiotr belorv should be reverscrl on l'h:tU ll:rsis iw rvell'

It.1'IIBI)lS',l'RICTCOUItl'ltltltt!:l)INl'l's(:ltl'l'l(:AL
ItI'ILIANCIt ON TIID I"AC'l'Olt OIt "l'OLAltlZlll)
vo'l'IN(i" IVIII(:II IS'l'O',l'ALl,Y lNVA|,Il) AS AN

INI)ICA'tOIt Olt vo'rlNC ltl(llll's A(:'l' vI()l',A-
,fIONS

'ftre tlecisiotr bclow follows ll rlisl.urbing l,r'errtl in voting
l.ighl.s eascs which placcs all lrut rlislxrsitivc signilicatree

o,i tl,o e.xistenee of racietlly pottt'izerl voting' See' also

United Slalcs a. Marengo Conrtly Cmmnissiotr', ?i]l lr'Ztl

[t4$, 1567 (llth Cir. 1984); Jonas u. Cill1 ol Inbboelc,

727 F.2r1364, :!80-81 (5th Cir'. I$84). In thc ll[at'en'go

Cou,nty case, for exittnple, [he courl, stttetl that

Some lttttlrotitics srrgges[ llrnt rt firrtling of discrirni-
nnloIy t'esttlt is com,pallcrl when pla-intifts sltorv ra-
eially'polltt'izetl vot,ing eomltittcrl witlt :ttt nbsenee of
rniniriiy elcctcrl ollicials. I ?{t I li'.z(l at l5?4; ern-

ph:rsis atltlcrl I

'l'ha distl.icl, eottr'[ in tlris e:rse nll'bttl, conlirttrecl lhat
l,lro ;rersistcnee of poltrizetl vot.irrg will oh'oo'gs ;rt'ovirle
grrrunrls for linrling :r violrtion of l.he VIIA, evcn wherc

nrinor.il.ics htvo aehievetl eotrsirler"lrble suceess in g:rilring

inrportirn[ elec[ive posts. (J.S. Aplt. 474). 'Ihe cottrt wus

cxplicil, in holtling thnt it viervs 1rolill'izerl volirrg its tltc
"singlc nrosI powerftrl factor"' tttttlerlying violtl'ions of

tho VltA. |il.
It is pnirrfully clear thtt the etntt'L's eottcept of po-

larizerl vot,ing, :rrrrl its aplllieal.iott of th[t, eottcclrl, [o tltr:
facls of tltis casc, rvas lhe "linelrpitr" of il,s lrrling Llurt

Nortlr Clrolinu lrrrtl viol:rlcrl l.hc Act. Brrl, Lhis consti-

l0

tutcs nn exl,r.ernely rlurrger.ous anrl tlivisive itrter|)t'etation

of vo[ing ligh[s inrv: i[ l'equires injttrious legal conse'

querrecs iu fio imlxtsetl unless nn irlen-l'ificrl class of citi-
zcns is rvilling to ultar tlreir. voLing bchnvior in tr tnirnttct'

eonsirlct'etl dcsir:rblc by sottle fetlerul court'

Thc existenee of ;mtrrt'ized voLilrg cttrtlot' lawftrlly prrr'

virlo gt'otttttls for ltoltling tha[ a s[ate or loeal govern-

rnen[''irns violttcrl VltA--least, of nll rvltet'e (as here)

ther.e rvoultl be lro gr.ounds for finrling a violzttiorr btrb for

the Polarizetl votirrg. A[ teasL in the Unil'ed Slates, the

,,rutr,ro, in which tirc citizcns of vttt'iotts l':rces or clhnie

gr'ottt)s exel'cise Lheir vot.ing frnncltise, ilrdivitlunlly or: m

[tnu1,., is trttclly beyontl [he lnvfttl polvcr of a State or

irolitical subtlivision 1o c,nt'ol. I,lven if srtne eiLizens

voto with tliserirnin:rtoly motives, those mobives canttot

bo inrputetl to the Stn[e. Ifir'tr'se'y u' Cit11 ol Jaclcsut',

sll?t'o., 663 Ir.2(l lrt, 6G2; Jordur' u. City ol Greenruood',

634 F.Supp. 1351, IS(iC (D.Miss. 1982).

'l'hus, it is legatly :rnd logieally insttppot'table to allow

the vnlitlity of a Stitto's eleeLion systetn [o depettd ttllon

how its citizens eltoose to vote. Yel, thal, is etoclly what
the dist,r'icl, court rlitl in l,his cnse, ttntler the rtrbrie of

"1lol:tt'izetl voting".

A. ttolallz.erl Vollng ls n I'r'evnlenI Anttrrlcnn Voling
l':rl.tern

Given tho [otte of severo rehttke rvith which the cotrr[

proclrirnetl thrtt, polarizerl voting persists itr these Norl'h

bnrolin:r tlistricts (J.S. App. 14a-164, d?sr), one rvottlrl

think tl:rt, iI coltsl"itul"es sollle fot'tn of insirlious, nbttor-

nral depnrtttt'e ft'ottt prevailing American voting ;r:rtlerns'
On l.he eontral'y, it wotrlrl be far tllol'o ,tccul'ate to reeog-

lizo lmltu'ized voting for rvhat it is: et prcvrtiling llol'ln
in voting behaviot l.ltrotrghortt Atnerict. It, tltet'clore
seerns higlrly illogical-no[ to menl.ion ltypoel'itical-for'
tho larv to eotttlemtr :r jtrristliction's eleel,ion'system pri-



20

nlrl'ily beeluse its ei[izens nrnnifcst tho s:rme eross-raeinl

,oiinf discrclttncies that ehtt'ae[erizo vtttot's nat'ionwide'

Polarizctl voting inezurs olrly thrrt vo[ers of rli{Terr:trt'

laees, ?rs gl'otlps, tend l,o votc diftelent'ly from otle nn-

oLher in rJation to tlro taee of the cantlitlates (or itl t'e-

lnliirn to the cilnrlitlate's itlentificsl.ion rvilh minoril.y is-

sues). .T.S. App' ll8a-i|9rt rt.29; Cot't'ins u' Cit11 of Nttr-
jo?i,' stlpro. Obf f'.Supp. rtb 3??' In this clse' tlte rlis-
'tri.i 

"nu.t 
atlop[erl tlio view l,'ar[ the'o is * "stt's[att-

iirufy signitican[" tlcgree of polariznlion whenever "[ltc
l.o*,,[t." ,If U,o inrliviritr:rl electiolr rvottld have bee' rlif-
felent rlepcnrling ttpon rvhether it lr[tl been lrckl tmong

only the rvhit,c 
-votlrs 

or only the black votct's in tlro

elccLion." (J.S. APP. 39rr-404).

Ttris tne:tns that whenevcl' ll majori[y of blnek voters

support a lrttelt cnntlitltrte ab the polls there will alwttys

bo'* "r,rt,rtanLively signitieant"' rlegrec of polarizcrl vot-

i,ig ,,uln., a rnnjority of rvhitcs vote for the black eandi-

rlata ns well.

Tho folly and inappropriateness of relying trpon this

vierv of ,,p-olarizcd ,ntingi' as an itttlex of aelionallle vol"-

irrgl.iglrtsrliscr'inrinnt,ionisillrrstr:rtedlrytlrcvol,ingr.e.
;,,its ;f [hc 1984 Dentoerntic Presitlentinl prirnlries'

In mosl, of l,lrose llt.imaries, l.lre votcs wcr.c rlivirletl lrc-

l,lveen W*lte' Monrfalo ancl Cnry Il:rrt, rvho are whit'e'

anrl Jesse Jreltsott, rvho is black' As es[nblishctl hy tlnl'n

conrpile<I for the Joint, Cent.er for l,olitical St,rrdies (see

lfpf*nai* A),? tho f)emocratt'ic Prmitlential primtties irr

"iiry ouu of tho l,lrirteen sl.a[es sttrveyerl wel'e charae-

teriz-ed by tho m0st exlr'eme form of racial polarization.

In nrost of l,ho primaries stlrveyed, Jaekson received

tcis 1ho,r,5% of l.he white vote but' ouer 75/o of t1e blach

7'fhe dntn nro tnkcn fronr I'tromns ti:' Cuvattngh nnd Intn S'

frrlot', DlecLiort '81, Ilcport #2, Jesse J.n'c'leson's Cnu'Ttnigla': Tlrc

I't'intrn'ies anil Cortcttses, 'fnblo 'l ('Iolllt Coltter for l'olltlcnl

Stutllen. l1186).

2L

vote.InNewJel.sey,JlclrsonreceivedS6i/oof.tlrclrlaelr
vote, bu[ only 4/, oi tl,u white votc; in New Yot'lt, il' lvas

s7% of tlre blnck vote, cotnltu'etl to only $/" of tl-to

wtril.e vol.e. In none of the surveyetl pr.imat'ics tlitl hck-
son t'eceivetl its tnrtclt ts l0'/o of thc whil'e vot'e, or lpss

tlrnn 60/, of Lho bl:relt vote.

Unless this cour.[ is Pr.epar.erl to tleelflre l.lrat the white

tnernbet'slrilr o[ lhs l)antocrtrtic pnrl.y is composcxl of rtre-

is[s frorn coast to ctlarst,, thett there mttst' be sornct'hing

elso bcsirles anl.i-Llack r.acial prejurlice to explnin tlte ex-

tletno stttisticnl polnrizaLion in tlrc I984 ptinrrtry elcc-

tion voting. 'l'hl[ "sotnetlting else" nr:ry well hnve been

Jesse J*clisol's Lotal 6c1 of gover,melrl; ex.et'ience; 1is

stutus ns a llraeticing clergymanl his cttttlt'ovet'siitl "ad-
veutrrrcs,, in tlre liekl of for.eign aflllits; or n cottlbintt-

tion of such fretors. llut only [he tnost ilrational antl-
ysis coukl coneltttle t,hnl, the low white vo[e for Jaekson

could accurately llo nt[ributetl to 'rvhil"e t'ncisnr; tlrere

lvo'o sitttply loo lttany othet objectivc fnctors to expltin
a lejeetiort of his I't'esirlentinl cantlidtcy.

Sirnilar coltsider:r[ions negate the sigllilicance oI any

lcgnl eonclttsions tlr:rwn ft'otn the "polarizetl" vot'ing pitt-
tclns fountl [o exisl in Llris czrse. Rlack eantlitlntes who

recciverl litl,lo strppot't froln white volers nlily just as

well havo been rejoctcrl for their stantls on the issnes,

l.hcir libetal ltleology, or their person:rli[y as for their
raee. See ./oae.s u. Cily ol Ltr.bbocl':, ?30 lt.Ztl 233, 234
(6th Cir. l9B4) (Iligginbothnnr, J., concurring sl)e-

cially).

The sLatis[ieal "cvitlcttee" offcl'ed by ap;rellees on "1to-

l:rrizetl" voting thet'efot'c' fuils to come to grips witlr an

inescnpable facL: white voter rejeetion of n blaek ean-

rlirlatc ean be bnsetl upon n hos[ of factors tha[ have

nothing aL nll to tlo witlt raee.

The 1084 Demoerttie primnry statislics prove tha[
evetl l,he mosb extremc degrees of t'aeial polru'izrttion ln



22 I

voting ofl,en beitr no rclationship tt[ nll to the ltirxl of

tliscrimintlion tal'gclerl by the VRA' 'l'he nrere fttct

l,lrat ovur*helnring rnttjori[ies of bl:rcks vote for n given

iriu"t, .nnOitlate (strch as Jesse J:rcltson) provitlcs 
. 
no

gi:u,,rA. wltttsocvct' to qtrest'ion thc attitrrtles of rvhites

iulu, or""*hclrningly reject the sitme eanrlitltr[e' To lrokl

,,f,fto.*iao nfirunLs both comrnotl sensc trltl thc eqttal pro-

tcctiorr ctattse. Ycl, tho eottrl's tliscrctlil' the intcgrity of

thewhitevoteevct.yt,irnotlreyittvoke..;xll:u.izetlvol,ing',
to justify firrtling t viol:ttiott of the VRA'

One cotrkl give innumettble exntttples of holv tlte eon-

.uptt-ni "poLil'izctl voLittg" is a cotnpletely rnisl-ctrrling

iu,ti",,t,. 
'of c,ntlit,iotrs pct'l'in.1'rt to genttitttt Voti,g

ilgl;i; AcL violrt,i,ns. Few electio,s lverc mor.e r.*eially

p,,[,ttr.ii 
- 
tfrll, the t{)84 Presirtcn[i;tl elecl'ioil ; whiLe

,;to," overrvltclmirlgly lejectetl l'trc Monrlirle cittttlitllley

wSich Slach voter.r io,." ali trut ulrlrttint.lts in srrppol'ting'

iot no one eoultl responsibty ztrgue l.lrflt this ohtr.p divcr-

;;.; in political uititr,tu, along r.aeiul li,es sor,ehol

i^ints [1e vali<lity of our Presirlentitrl. election system or

that it trnftirly tliltrtes the black vote'

Moreover, even ttl'batr jrrristlictions wltere blnek polit-

ietl powcr is most vigoious-Chie:tgo, Nervark' Philt-

dclphit, ALIttrtta, nll of which htve st'rong bltck nruyot's-

have bccn ehttt'actet'izetl by very high levels of rztcitl

1,i,t,r'ir*tirtr in voting." This agtrin unrlerctrls lhe notion

ilrut polnrizetl vol.in*g prevents effee[ive aeeess to thc

political sYstetn.

i tltnck canrlitlnte Ilnroltl wnslrlngton reeell'ctl 1t60,340 blnck wnrrl

votes trttt only 19,252 rvhite rvnrtl votes ltt rvlnttlng the Chlcngo

,r,,yo.r,fty electiorl in 1082; eonre 246'846 
- 
whitos votorl ngnirrst

trirrr. Nniionnl Jottrnnt, ttleclion'81 lla.nilltoolc 2209 (Oct' 29' 1983)'

ii,o t tr"r, cnnrli4.tcs elccted mnyor ln Ncw:trk, Nerv 'Ierscy, Gnl'y,

;,,;ti;t;, nnrl Clevclnntl, ohio, recelved ll|To' !t%' nnd 06% of the

lrln"tr v,ite, resper:l;lvety, .s ngnlnst onty l6%,, l0/o. nlnd 16% of the

"irii" 
,"t-. [,cvy nnrl l(rnrner, t'hc Dthttic Faclot': IIou Atnerico's

iiirrrti'li"t Itcciilc lNlcctiotts (Slrnrrn & Sthtrster' I$72)'

23

Irolau.izcrl vol.ing is sirnply :r colrtenrp0t'at'y ehitt'ltctet'-

islie of Antet'iettr potil,ics; it rcflccts the rcillit.y of t'lre

rvirlcl.y rliverse politic[l plefer.ences rvhich ure inevittblc
in n ntulti-nrciul tlerrrocr|lcy. Ilut tlre existence of stteh

tlivet.siLy lrarrlt.y provitles legitimtte gloutttls fot' et n-

dcrnnittg stttte itlttl locrrl elcctiott syslcnts.

'l'lrc Act's gttat'ltttlee of arl eqtt:tl o1t1tttrLutr'it11 for
mitroril.ies bo pirr'[icipntc in tho polit,ictl Pl'ocess' 42

U.S.C. Sec. 19?ll(tr), lreerl not ud eilntrot bc consl'rttctl

to require (r?r?/ coilu)t.0r[risc of the eolrsLi[ul,i()ttul gttaratt-

lee of thc f'ectlortt to '.[e lts olle pleitses. I\t,l'e to tlre
point, l.he lcgsli[y o[ tr stirte's elcction sysl,ent citnlto[ be

corlliiio,ed tt;,nt, t, slrif[ of whilc citiz.,trs' volcs to 5lac1

ennrlitlnles which will be suflicietrt to srlisfy l,he expect'tt-

tions oI thlec fetlerrrl jrrrlgcs.

ll.'l'ho Corrrl. ,tlppllerl nn Unreasoltttlrtc Slnnrlnrrl in

Flndlrrg l.hnt rr "strltstttnllvely Signlllcnnt" l)cgrcc
of t'otrrrlz.ed Votlrrg Illlstorl

Ilven if pohu.izetl voting coukl lle vielvetl ns zt t'elcvlttrt

inrlie:tl,or of Section 2 violations, tlte district coutt' ap-

plierl rn uureasonablc ilnrl invulirl stundutrl in finding
lttot it existerl to a eritic:rl tlegrce in [his ease' The

eotrrt hcltl th:rt I "sttbstittrl,ively significlttrl'" tlegt'ce of
poltr.izrtion oceut.s rvhclrcver. the eleeLion's outctlttre woultl

Le tliffercnt rle,cnding orr wSether iL wlrs 6eltl ant.trg only

bluek votct's or only rvhile votel's (J.S. App' 39:t-40a)'

This givcs [he polrrriz:t[ion fuctol' !r scol)e anrl wcigirt
fur beyonrl whtt Congl'ess contemplttctl in passing the

lggZ rirnentlmerrts. '-fhe statute itself trorvltet'e mentions
(tct tlonc eontlemns) polarizcrl voting. Itrven if Congress

rlitl inbanrl for poluriziltion to be treatetl rs persttnsive evi-

tletrec of a voting rights violttiott, it surely harl in mind

sonre[hing ftrr tlifierent thttn the kind of unexception-

able vot,ing pu[terns exrnrinerl in this clse. Juristlictiolrs
wtrere hl:rclt crtnriidatcs trre able to ntttacb 60/o (Dis-

t,rict No. 'JGl, 40% (District No. 3$) , 3'l% (Dis[ric[



24''

No. 23) ,3{l% (Disttict No. 2l) , trnil 32/o (Dist'rict No'

B) of the whi[e vote-sec J.S. App. 4ta-464-sirnply
eannot be ehnr.rcterized as poclrcts of culpable t'esistntrea

to tho aspirations of black erntlirltcies. Yet that is 2rc-
cisely whart the tlistrict cottrt's lrokling stys abou[ these

North Ctrolina districts.

As sltorvn by the numcl'ous sttccessfttl black eanrli-

tlacies in these distticts antl elscwltere throughout the

n:rl,ion, tha forcgoing levels of white voter sttppor[ are

more tlrut sufficienb to give blach candidates ellcctive
acccss to thc politictl s.ysl,em.

Ii'or cxitnrltle, in Ten'azas u. Clamen'ts, s'tt'!fi'ar 68l
F.Supp. at 1362, tha tnirrotity (Ilisptnic) canrlirlirte for
,rnyo" rcceivetl l)O/a of. l,he hisptnie vote as cotnpat'etl

to only 35'/o of the whitc vote. lVhelr the plaintilf's "ex-
pcr'[" opitterl thnt this constil,utctl significantly polrtriz'erl

voting for VIIA ptrtposes, the cottt'b flrttly rejcctctl his

opinion. 'l'hc cortr'l toolt l,he sttttlttler vicrv thnt polariz'ed

ni,ti,,g is only tnctningful in l.he legrtl sense wlren i[ tle-

privcs l.ho rninority of cqutl opporttrtri[y to par'licip:rle
in the politic:tl .ptoeess. Sl,r'essing thnt the Il isprtnics

coultl foim coalil.ions to gain greater political teeess tlt:ttt
their t'urv ttttmbet's etlone rvottkl give thetlr, frl. tt' 1364,

the eoutt ttrlctl l,hat l,he 1)0/36 vat'iirttee in Ilispanic/
:rrrglo voting did not eonstittrtc n lcgally signifieunl, rle-

grel of pol:rrizittion. In sharp contrast, the eout'[ ilr this

ease considct'erl even t 79/60 bltck/whitc varianeo to
be :t significztn[ tlcgree of pollrizitlion. (J.S. App. 38:t-

4ln). ^See also Cotlitr,s a, Cil,y ol Nortollc' stt'Pra, G06

Ii'.Supp. al" 3BB-89 (I'ejccting cltritns of polnrized votitrg

whet.c lcvcls of whil,e suppor.t, frlr blnek eitntlitlittes wcrc
rlccirlctlly lolver [lrtrn in this etsc).

'l'o holrl thtt stnte elecl,ion tlist,r'icl.s violtt'e tho VltA
tnerely lrceattse a nrajoriLy of their rvhi[e votct's do not'

suec,inb to jurliciul pr.essul'es tr,d s.br*issively vo[e for
511etr cultlirirtes is not merely a1 unltrvfll tlistortion
of [lrc VltA. lVhen n eoul'|, cocrces voters to surrentler

zft

their frccrlom of choicc in or.rler to flppeilse tltc eoul't's

thrcsts to conrlctntt theiI clection systcmn, i[ violtttcs the

Ii'irst, Amcndment-bnsetl gult'antee of nbsolttte ft'eetlont

to vole tts ono ehooses. I(h'lcse11 a. Ci'Ly ol Jnck'sorr', slt?t.'fl''

633 [i'.Z(l lrt 602 Attdcrson. u. l[attin,, stt"l,t'o' 375 U'S'
' at 402.

Under l,he tlist,r'ict ctltll'L's allproereh to polurizetl voting,
l.hole wottltl be ferv, if tny, districts in the wlrole United
Sl,ates rvhiclt eottld prss nrttstcr uttrlet' Seetion 2.

Cousisten[ with the libcrnl vierv of thc Sennte Com-

mil,tee Repot't, the tllstric[ eottt't pl'oeeedcd ls thotrgh a

fintling of pollrizetl voLing pltts onc other of t'he "ninc
fnctors" woultl be ettottglt to sustain a fintling t'hn[ Scc-

tion 2 harl bccn violtterl. J.S. App. l4t-lSa nnd tt' 13'

Givcn thtt the nitte fttetot's al'e hopolessly bt'oittl alttl

itntorphotts-e.g', "ltlty history of oflicial tlisct'inlitrat'ion"
(Fnclor l\_'an.! localc mn eirsily bc founrl grrill'y of tt
least several of thern. Antl few Amelican jut'isrlictions

woultl ttot nlso be "gttilty" of polalizetl vo[ing ttntlcr the

rlisl.rict, courl,'s stnttrltrtls. Tho l9U4 Dcrrtocl'trLic Presi-

tlenLill Pt'inury I'esttlLs (not [o tnentiott tho l$84 I't'esi-
tlential elcction iLsclf) conclusively rlcmortstt'ttc thaL

exlt'emc polilrizerl vot,ing is mtnifesl thlotrghoui' l'hc

Unil.cd Sta[es. Scc APPcrrtlix A.

Tlttts, thc appro:rclt takcn by the disLrict corrr[ in Lhis

crse simply provcs too nrttch. Congress citnnot hltve in-
tenrled to enac[ a stnnrltlrd for section 2 contpli:ttlce

which can only lre met rviLh eetl.ainty by ltotnogcnous
jur.isrlictioDs thtrt tlo not have to cope with the polil.ictl

lensions of r.acial tliver.sity. The rlistric[ eottt't's inLet-

prcLation of the VRA woultl eotttlemn thc election sys-

o ln fnct, the eorrrt,s own opinlon ehows Lhnt thls plrenomenon

may lrnve nlrenrty occttrrotl ln Norlh Cnrollnn. J'S. App' 3?A n'2?'

The [otnble 8ucco88 0f blnck cnnrlitlates In tho 1082 clection wns

nsr:ribed to whlte nupport wtriclr wns reputerlly basod on fenr thnt
the rleferrt of btnck currtllttatcs woukl nrlversely alTect ttre vttA
lll.lgntlon.



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