Why Every Vote Matters: Shelby County v. Holder at King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center, Honolulu

Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm - Aliiolani Hale

Join us as Janet Mason, Legislative Chair of the League of Women Voters, discusses the history of the Voting Rights Act in Hawaiʻi and the 2013 Supreme Court decision, Shelby County v. Holder, which overturned a key provision of the Act. Kris Coffield of the Imua Alliance will share his organization's concerns about the impact of the 2013 ruling on young voters.

The historic Voting Rights Act (VRA) was passed in 1965 to ensure that state and local governments do not pass laws or enact policies that deny American citizens the right to vote as a result of their race. On June 25, 2013, the United States Supreme Court swept away a key provision of this landmark civil rights law in Shelby County v. Holder.

In April 2010, Shelby County, Alabama filed suit asking the federal court in Washington, D.C. to declare Section 5 of the VRA unconstitutional. Section 5 is a key part of the VRA, requiring certain jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to submit any proposed changes in their voting procedures to the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal court in D.C. - before it goes into effect - to ensure that the change will not harm minority voters. Many people are not aware that Hawaiʻi is one of the jurisdictions covered by Section 5, joining Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia. Hawaiʻi is a "partially covered" jurisdiction with a provision that covers identified counties within the State.

What is the history of the Voting Rights Act in Hawaiʻi? How is the state responding to the 2013 ruling? What does it mean to be "partially covered?" Please join us as we explore the 2014 Law Day theme; "Every Vote Counts."

Free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP by May 14, 2014 to 539-4999 or click here.