FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1995 (202) 616-2765

TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES SOUTH CAROLINA FOR REFUSING

TO COMPLY WITH THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department today sued the state of South
Carolina for failing to comply with a law that simplifies voter registration.
Only 58% of the state's eligible citizens are registered to vote.
Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), most states
were required by January 1, 1995, to provide voter registration for federal
elections at motor vehicle locations and other state agencies as well as
through the mail. President Clinton signed the Act in May 1993.
South Carolina is only the fourth state to be sued for resisting the law.
"This is a common sense law that makes it easier for all Americans to i
participate in the democratic process," said Attorney General Janet Reno.
"Already, states are seeing tremendous increases in the number of people
registering to vote."
Last year, South Carolina passed legislation to comply with the law, but
the former Governor vetoed it. A new Governor took office on January 11, and
it appeared that the state's election commission was trying to comply. While
the Justice Department was working with the state to try to avoid litigation,
the state sued the Justice Department challenging the law.
In its papers, filed today in U.S. District Court in Columbia, the
Justice Department defended the law and countersued the state as well.
"We cannot understand why any elected official would stand in the way of
making it easier to register to vote," said Assistant Attorney General Deval
L. Patrick.
Last month, the Justice Department sued three other states that also
resisted compliance. It sued Illinois and Pennsylvania after they failed to
pass legislation or take administrative action to comply with the law. It
also countersued California, after that state's Governor filed suit
challenging the law. In addition to countersuing the state for its refusal to
comply, the Justice Department responded to the California suit by asserting
that Congress acted within its authority when it passed the law.
"Congress has the authority to regulate federal elections, and it used
that authority when it passed the law," added Reno. "We now must use the
authority that Congress gave us to enforce it."
Three states -- Arkansas, Virginia and Vermont -- have been provided
additional time to comply in order to amend their state constitutions. Four
states -- Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming -- are exempt from
the law because they already had same day or no registration prior to the
enactment of the law.
"With the exception of a handful of states, every state is complying or
working towards complying with the law," added Reno.

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