Barriers to Effective Participation in Electoral Processes

    Ropunl u'-,t 
-b a'((tQ"$ V"l

' 
V\, € c\uclh^:". *#,0^,

l'/:--"ll--lS T'O f-Ffa,--1i;E;ArTlC:?!.1:-^'I I\ lll-'aai'-);:Li;'ka)(-aiSES

Fia.is ani t,t.i,e: rr:ni,rlt:e! l-,s-.i,r,:a1i.;" 9a--ec a

n-)r,r'er- of l,ar:1ar-E in'.:)err a'-tanDt.s !c LSe their votinE

po..entral to attarn a be'.ter Irfe. T:ese t,arr';'ers i'nlcLieC

the follcu'ing electcral pr:.:eEses:

B.

D.

r

F

reqistration

vot ing

canC , dac-r'

ph;'sica1 and eecn:ir.ra in.-1r.i,iei-ior,

f a ir repreeentat ra:;

effect ire rep:eeentat roti

S.rme of these bar-rieis n.al a::11, :: -. : ': afl'rr:;1 :'-)', wi: re

otirera ma! ncti arri tirere r,a1 :e ^-a:l;e:s wi,ici: cc app1l t

j/orrr aonrnJnrt! whicr,:::r:'- a;:€a: or. tire iiBt. AnC scr'e

i:orrlers maj ha")€, ap-,:- tec ref lre :h€ \r:'-in; FightE .&ct c:

1''65, tut dc n,:'- :.:!. a:i-. --:::'ta-:' :.ie;' rr:5: .cn,e tc :.

anl'liei tc _'(,Jr a:.i:,j:.r:.r'!. ti ::ia e\=:'-'!.",3: :ie 
"r:'tl:-rc 

!-9-:E

Act is not e>:te:::.-: :: -:':1. 7:,< f : -ial{:I-1. a.:a!19 +-n'is€

ba,rrrers '.a e:f ?a'-:ii :--i:---::- :,":: --r-',ai-La:..

F '_-.l:ij::_a..,r:r.

rs e.l ti

s-r,e cf

ef :e,rt .

c i.]a t e

e':al:

-- :

thes"

Thc

::s:::r ::::,s:s aiJa ae\'llas

r:Et I r.-:---:es ::--:. :e::s'-:.- -::

I a a -- '. +: ::. '-:-i e I ;r ::,i: : --' '.:

:s a'- -.:::: ;-.--t '-n!.::: -s --

:.: l-:;: .-: ie,-t -:r,c; ef f c;:s r:

s :l: tre] -:es tc a . s:ra:r::.. s+

:.11 :



t952

E pARrrcrpAiror rN ELBcToRAL pRocEssEs

Lher minoritiee hietorically faced a

: their attempta to uae the!r voting
r better life. Theee barriere involved
ral proceaaeer

economic intlnldation

tta t ion

,rea6ntation

'! m.y apply to your comlnunity, while

:here nay be barriers which do apply t,

do not appear on the lirt. And Bome

rlied before the Voting Rights Act of
apply--although the], might come to be

nity in the event that the Voting RightE

n 1982. The follaring detaila these

electoral participation.

a long history of tests and devices

r lnd other minorrties from regietration.
of 1965 resulted in the elimination of

nd devices, at least while the Act is in
hae a chilLing effect upon efforte to

oel, te8ts and det'iceE to di8franchise

-1-

1953

Dtecrr end otber minoritiee. The follorring barriere to

,aglrtrrtion are often found even white the Act i! in effect

l. lack of interest and of affirmative attempta to
regieter votera by registration officiala

Z. inconvenient and/or irregular timee for registration
l. inconvenient locations for regiatration

a. purging and re-regietration practicea which
disadvantage mlnoritiea

3. in.deguate number of minority

6. inadeguate information about
and procedurae

7. phyaical, economic, and other

regr!tration pereonnel

regiltration policiea

formB of lntinidation

Egi.s
XcAiatration does not necesaarily mean voting. Efforts

DvG been made to prevent or diacourage regiatrants from

l,oti.ng and to make their voteB resa effective. These ef forts
loclude the follo!^ring whieh are found whil.e the Act ie atiII
la offect:

l. lack of intere8t and of affirnative attenptE toencourage minority voting by election officiale
2. failure to }ocate regiatranta' nameE on precinct

liats and,/or guestionable ehallengea of iight to vote
3. inconvenient locationg of pol1s, including locations. where minoritiee feel unwelcoure or uncqnfortable
4. inadeguate number of minorlty electj.on peraonnel
5. inadeguate number of rninority poJ.1 watchere

5. ir.adeguate number of aesistantE for illiterateE
7. laek of bitingual materialg for non_Bngliah_apeakera
8. miguee of abcentee ballots )
f. inadeguaey of voting facilities

-2-



;', !L,.i..;.i1r':
i

1 954

1C. :r',ac'eg;ate inf:,-,atior al,:,ut +-:€ i':r.ati:n of tl,e
pclil.s anC t:ie a:.a s.r'. ai br ta:r. ;,olI

lL. -uI-.) e::a).. e'..'rr),-\fi,c, ani ithe: j--,--:rie of lrt j.llSat'lor

,. l-Igr.*-::
Pctentlal tr,j.rrorit]'can.liJa'.er l:e rnore 1i.ke1y tc be

iriexperienced in polltics and in the iaws, policles, ani

l,ractlceB involved in beconing a caniidate anC in the i.:caeEE

(rf canrpaigning. Thel' are ai6c Lese l:.ke:1' '-g, hare +-,ie 9.,ci

vill and ccrperation of the off rcials :,rvcirei. ?ie icllcur:,:

t,6rr:leis to candi.Jacy have l,een fc,:nc:

]. Iack of inte:est aaa affi:-r'at:\'e atr--^n:'+-a ta e!:a:-:a3€
canilCacy of ninorities by clcc:ion (anC ctf,e:)
officials

i:-,a i equate c3c-",er a t r cr. ur th ca:')a r :3'. 
"s'=r' 

e L ec-- -,^:.
rff :.::-als ai,:-:t reoi::+:+r.:s f- : .iel :-f:aatrc:.

e>:Fens:i,e f:iirrg fees (;rinc:.::es aie c,:teri lrcc.

restrictions ori +-fri!'d part\, o:';r):le:endent :ani::=:ee

tl're'da)' ;anCiiates are llstei ci'-he >aliot

!naioouate k:,:,ule:l:e :: -F->tJs-:: :anc:da'-:s

::.ajegi-;at: ).r,:;lejge :f ;eg:s:e-e3 \,1:e:s

:'eculat:cr.s a:ri ::€ ::.+J--:a:--: g'f :::e:e:i: ::
:ec-la'-tar.s u:,-:l' ::sz:', ei,'-z:+s E::,at -:_ ;a:-,::i::+s.
:rc1-::n: ti+ i::ass +,:,::e:s :: :,e:::i': La_. 3:
the pclls ani '.r-,e reii,lirel ol ::.:. !i.:aar:a. :a:,:'-'-a'-.s
::npa:;n )a,sters t,r' officlals

'r. Irrinlrit) aaardrj3',eS' pC11 wat::..:s nf:
aF>:'or-a irsl i.-r'-lc .rr.e'c

aric,rs i:: tire ai"c,rro",fD"r-a::::.s. ::
at the colintlns of the baiicts
.F^ -l ' i-.aa,. S:r-r_:,€:i- :a)-t_:tt:--eS Ui:::
Er€i'er-,is Liaci anc ai:-:e: !r-rr.::-- ca:rilie',es irc::
beinq inr':r-ed +,a :ar--e-:.:. !e jcl= :,:s::,es9 nr:l:---:a.-
an: :'-ier orca:: -z?t -La! '-f,'.ne H--'-i :T..Jl:i::t.--a,:.1
tc wi-,or nfi-rarraritj 3ani.ja'-es a,a!e aa:esF

a

--': -

>'1a..oj --

=ri ^--*a--

trl
'.t:,i



195{

li".i:':fl:'::r*";; jlln,i;ii'"n or the

,, ccoDotnic, and other foraa of lnthldtat{on

I nlnority ecndidatat lre moro llhcly to bepolltlc! and in the lawg, policler, and
rd in beconing a candidate and tn the procea.
Thcy rrc alro leae likely to hrve the good
ion of the officialr involved. The follor.ring
dacy have been found:

":;Til":li, : j'ifr i::ir3,.. tlj ""ti"il.ou.","
r -cooparation uithauour ."fu i;;:;I".;:: r;i".ii 

r?I" ii:;. r".
frling feee (minoritiea are often poor)
na on third party or independent c.ndidates
ndidates are liated on the ballot
knowlcdge of oppoaing candidates
knorledge of registered votere

l. iili"in!,l:;3H::::: enrorcement or

f j:.;+*ii;$. r ; xiiir "::"r ji j" 
. :"

f;++,f5*** i :: :. : rifti: j!:.
in many southern c,rck and 

"tt,"i'iii";?Funities 
which

ro to campaign u.tolly-candidatea frorn

;it#ii;Tj,jl,i*" _x !sgri:::;:',

!"i::' g. 
::3?; :'IJ:iii;ii: " J3"3$:, ";:;: ".!3, i. I 3Ii 3,1"1*,"uby non-minoritie.)

tr. "r's:?l-:::::" 
t" participation in politicalorganrzat ron8

'. 
-rr. g:fll::l.i:a.of runnins aa independentg or ae menbersof third p":tl::; ineluding g"ttrrrg on thc ballot andbrvlng their polt watcheri-riJognrzed

ta. preventing succegcful. minority candidatec from takinooffice or receiving tne priniiy nomination
15. 

ff*.;Tr::!.p*., or effectivenesa-of the off ice
crection ".",ijtriiliio::..;: ;:::a;S.f.;;";':;:; ."

16' :#Ii#:i:t an orrice or chansins. it.frqn erectrve to
a' m inor i ty "li!,ij. loi;.ff ".3;::t:":lii 

;. i;';;'
t7. physical, economic, and other forme of inti.nridation

trtl..ldrtion

Southern hiatory deacribss many mean6 of aubordinating
Lbckr lnd other rnlnoritiea ao they would rerrain in "their
;l.cc.. These meana include murdera, beatinge, and threata
cf physical attack together with econonric meana involving
,dt, credit, housing. and bueinesB aa well as othe! eocial
alrd cultural means. The foltowing baruierg have been found:

l. lack of intereat and affirmatir,minorities il .!". ;";;i"-":;^l;"i:.ff;;|".1,,8,o."".privileges to particip"t"'ii-.i".tora1 politic6
2. inadequate cooperation betlreen officials and thoaeminorit ies who- are tr.,r""i"iII.,"

:; l:;:.;i":l i: 
; ;h;; i :; i :"::";:,: : :":l "S.i:, "I8.."

3' 
Iii:i:3i'"*:lil::irjl'"".", and other forms of

4. Ioss of j6!g,

:j:*ii: r.*, "ii3i'i;"1::"*t3,,:::*:,.:;:i;":1t,,ti"",

1955

-3-



,:i':
,:i:i:,
iiili

"iii','i r

1t156

5. Other ec,::a1 ani eulturaL r,eans -s.ed to s:)':,1di;sg"
ml:lcr:t:es .J: cC :+d.::e .-he eff+.:t'-\'e:-,ess of tl-,e:.r
iar::c:!.at:.tn :.r. eiecto:a1 pc1:tics

f .a:^ : - ::-i.i.-q. le I i q t ir::
Cne 3spect of rep:eserrtation le iairing n:ncrity vs+-ga

cD-n+- t:re aaEre aa oti''er voteB. The vote can be u-atered 3cr:n

rr. n;iierc'.:6 u'ai'8, inej-oCing +-he u'ay t,o.n3ar:.es of ellection

ar.etricts a:e C;exr, arrC r,he'ray votinc rules are errfc,rced.

The f:iifw:nc are s-;ne cf the barrie:.B to fair rep:esen..aticn.

L. "gerrlr,anCei':Dc:" d:awing eLection dtst-rtct baur,C6::er
Eo that tne ..:nl,er: cf electi.on d:6trtct s r-hich coulc
prct,ahlr' be uor. 5)' n,ir,crittes iB rei"ced

2. requ:.remet:'-e that a niajcritl rather r-han a pluralitl
:.a regut:ed to wir. an el.ection

=. f:11-sIa'-e :e;::::i;ent rpre\:en.-E !T-to::::es frcr
col'r3€:it:at:ng their vc+-es behinC a Linlted n.Inl:er
of cand:.ia+,es whc n ight win ae a :'eeu1t )

4. separa',:!cn of cie electoral conteBt lnto a nur,ber
of rnCri,icual con'.ests to the d:sadvantaqe of
mir)Ori -!:e6, :nCi :ii-ng:

a. el-ec+-.ons fc:'si.ng1e poEts or mult:-n,enber distrlc:r

b. a'.-:,aif,€ ..,otirn? for district p,:sitione

c. staJci:etr ier;.s ci off::e

a. re3-:ln: :fr: n;ni,ei of sea'-s fc: a given of f :ce
(t':.t.: l-r,::.ases ine nu.'},ei of vc.-e6 reguireC
tc ge+- electei to that offi:e)

5, exte:):-r,r'.1.e terrs cf ncn-In!norit), incjr.a,en..s (to
:e,ar rtr:,::t: e-e!-tion tc the cff ::e\

L. -se:5 ia,:li,a:---san eieeticns when i.'- wculi::sa:'iar,:a:e
r' 1n;; t:-,, :anC :- :a'- es

r!tea - -'-aLl,€ ted :stricting and :eapport lcrirr,ent
fcl-:v--::; :e:.sJs :eia,rts

S.3h1:Erca)., ec::.r:rn-c, ani orther forras of i.nt'.rnidation

-5-

;;
: j].ti-e-.



1956

and cultural meana uled to aubordinatc,r to roduce the effectivenets of their,n in electoral politice

195L,

t
,ft'hi, !rpect of rePreaentation concernE the better

i *f.t rhoul.d be the result of participation in electoral

lor

tor

Thi! rould include employment, housing, health

burinese, recreation, and other aBpect! of a better
tiDoritie!. The willingneea of eleeted officiale to

f rcpreaentation 1r having ninority vot31

be! votea. The votG crn bc watered do\rrt

cluding the way boundariea of election
and the rray voting rulee are enforcad.
lne of the barrierr to fair repr€Bentlties3
ing:" drawing election diatrict boundar
nunbcr of election district3 uhioh could
*on by ninoritie! ir reduced

_ 
that ! tllr jority rathe! than ! plurality

to win an election
rgulrcment (prevent! ninoritiec fron
3 their votes behind a limited numberr uho roight win ae a reeult )

f ona el€ctoral contest into a nr.urberI contertB to the diaadvantage of
!nc). ud ing :

! for lingle polts or multi-member distri
voting for dittrlet po!ition!
I t€rma of office
thc number of 3eat6 for a given offiee
rcreales the number of vctes reouired
reetcd to that office)

r terma of non<rinority incumbentE (to
:], elcction to the office)
'ti!!n electione when it would di8aCvantlg.
I idater

'cdlBtricting and rerpportiorment
trua !eporta

romic, and other formg of Intimidation

-5-

,

a

a
Ltt

. bGttcr life ae yeIl as the ability and the po!,rer of

officials to gain actual result! ia involved. The

to cffective repreaentation include:

l. itek of interest and affirmative attempte of officiale
.ftcr they are elected to work for a better 1ife for

:ti

*r.'
tf

'trytr
E
{t*
*.t'
a

!,

a.

t.

linor i t ies

rcrponrive off icals.bei-ng outvoted by non-reaponaive
officials on governing boarda

rca-oonaive officals'inability to get the neceaaary
cooperrtion froh the other elected and appolnted
officiala to make the changes reguired

rcluctance of reaponaive officials to take a rtandyhich would mean controveray, conflict, and atrainedrclationghipe with lmportant individuals and groupi
phyrJ.cal, economic, and other forms of intinidation
directed against reeponsive minority elected officiale

}:. Epwrnos.- Mr.l,unFen, if there are no further questions_
; rhinl you. Ms. Thompson, very much for ve.y-he-rpi"i t 

"ti-Er.
lQr aext witness is the Honorable Mary Estill Buchanan, who is
-_ErcretarS' of Srat€ of the glear Stat€ of Col;;do,!c relco'llg svou. I\Is Buclianan, and *it1r"ri-"uiection your fulr&ent *'ill be made a part of the record, and y6u -"v"pr*""a

'ESTIMOIiY 
OP MART ESTILL BTICHA}iAN, SECRETARY OF

STATE. STATE OF COLORADO
h BucnlN.nN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.I rar here to testifl,.agiinsi the bii*guI-provisions and amend-Err to the u.s. voting 4igttr $a en?_ to ii.gelheir iei&a, o,r lct I mechanism pio*idh *li;;"b_; t', ilil;i;; l".iiJu, 

""n5i :"l'tr, H:H' ti: i*,[ :}i,:t"f *F.[[li# 
"Hf [ :ib aor J'eJ ben broughr i"*r'";d 

-il;;-" 
piuri. uoa"r:"tiii r "*r.'r of, bur most pa?.icuiarrl t d; il -ori 

trre- ur"-G tnii tr,u""
lqmonE do nor reaih.rhe tanguas. ;iro;i;).;irir. ;; intJra"a to!* anc frusri'aie rather th"i il;ri;i [ir" 

"n"ru * .rioii* r,rrrFticipatlcn b1. Iangruage minoriri-;;;r;ff"ff ,.lTjti?l,f ?##:"T:'""1'l:lr:.3*rl,*J*!iri"?I po,visions- *-hich ."gur."- *rrtti, --"t"riii;; ,J;r;ifr Un-