The pass of arms, in the United States, between the Republican state of Texas and the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden is experiencing a new episode. Already symbolized by a legal battle concerning a Texan law on abortion, the fight is also transposed on the ground of electoral division.
Washington accuses Texas of redesigning its ridings in order to dilute the vote of black and Hispanic minorities, who are generally more inclined to give their votes to Democrats. “Department of Justice Sues Texas for Violating Federal Voting Law”, adopted in 1965 after the great mobilization for civil rights, declared, Monday, December 6, the attorney general of the United States, Merrick Garland, at a press conference.
Between 2010 and 2020, the Texan population grew by 4 million people, 95% of whom belong to minorities. By virtue of this population growth, Texas won two new seats in Congress, detailed the number three of the Department of Justice, Vanita Gupta. But his authorities have redesigned the constituencies this year in such a way that “These two new seats will be elected by a majority of white voters”, she judged.
Georgia also sued
In the United States, electoral divisions are redefined in each state after each census. The ruling party often takes the opportunity to regroup the voters of the opposite camp in certain constituencies, in order to reduce their influence elsewhere.
The Supreme Court of the United States, however, ruled that dividing constituencies along ethnic lines was unconstitutional. The Department of Justice therefore asked, Monday, the courts to prohibit Texas from conducting elections with its new division, and to require it to draw another.
In November, the ministry had already filed a complaint against an election law in Texas, accused of restricting assistance provided to disabled or illiterate voters. In June, he also launched proceedings against the authorities in Georgia, accused of wanting to restrict access to the vote of African Americans.
Since the start of the year, the states led by the Republicans have stepped up electoral reforms under the pretext of fighting fraud. But Democrats denounce attacks on the voting rights of minorities, who are overwhelmingly in their favor.