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Simple English definitions for legal terms

Voting Rights Act

Read a random definition: De Conflictu Legum

A quick definition of Voting Rights Act:

The Voting Rights Act is a law that helps protect people from unfair voting practices. It was made to help minorities, like people who speak different languages or have different skin colors, to be able to vote without being discriminated against. The law stops things like tests that make it hard to register to vote and makes sure that everyone can understand how to vote, even if they don't speak English. It also makes sure that minorities have a fair chance to vote for the people they want to represent them. Some places with a history of unfair voting practices have to get permission before they can change their voting rules. This law is important because it helps make sure that everyone's voice is heard and that everyone has a fair chance to vote.

A more thorough explanation:

The Voting Rights Act (VRA) is a federal civil rights law that protects minorities from discriminatory voting practices. It was initially created to protect racial minorities, but in 1975, it was extended to protect members of language minorities, including voters who speak Spanish, Native American languages, Alaskan Native languages, and Asian languages.

The VRA prevents voting discrimination in several ways. It prohibits literacy tests or similar “tests or devices” as a prerequisite to voter registration, and requires jurisdictions with significant language minority populations to provide non-English ballots and oral voting instructions. The act also protects minorities from vote dilution. In areas with particularly bad discrimination problems, the act authorized federal examiners to directly register voters and observe polling places. Finally, it requires areas with a history of voting discrimination to “preclear” changes to their voting laws.

For example, if a state wanted to change its voting laws, it would have to get approval from the United States Attorney General or a three-judge panel of the District Court of the District of Columbia to ensure that the new rules would not violate the VRA.

Another example is that the VRA prohibits drawing election districts in ways that improperly dilute minorities’ voting power. This means that election officials cannot split a single minority community into enough different election districts that even if the community voted as a bloc, it could not influence any single district’s elections. They also cannot dilute a minority community’s voting power by submerging it in a multi-member district with enough non-minority voters to routinely defeat the minority community’s chosen candidates.

The VRA is an important law that protects the voting rights of minorities and ensures that their voices are heard in the democratic process.

Voter bill of rights | Voting trust

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18:21
Home of crime, poopy sidewalks, and needles. But a decent school
babycat
18:21
i did my tenth application today :)
18:22
wow congratz- sigh of relief?
18:22
congrats!! and good to know llama. why are their 'chance' numbers so weird for my stats...
18:22
hi all !!
babycat
18:22
@ChowieBean: yield protect?
18:23
do u guys have any recommendations for any LSAT prep websites that wont break my wallet
18:23
i rly liked powerscore! and babycat maybe yeah
18:24
ty :') ive been looking for some prep material but I've seen some where they're like $500 plus for prep material
18:25
7sage, lsatdemon, lsat hacks. check them out it seems like diff ppl have a preference. most offer free trial
babycat
18:25
7sage is $1/month if you can get fee waiver
babycat
18:26
that’s the first thing you should know. apply for a fee waiver through LSAC and it applies to some test prep companies too
@K0zhii: I would recommend LSAT Demon (they also have a fee waiver version) & the Loophole
I personally did not like 7Sage, but since it is so cheap w/ fee waiver it might be worth trying
18:34
@K0zhii: to summarize: 1: https://www.lsac.org/lsat/register-lsat/lsat-cas-fees/fee-waiver 2. check out the above mentioned prep companies, sign up/ 'try them on' and see if you have a preference (they are all a little different). 3. If you get an LSAC fee waiver, you can then use it to get discounted access to the prep companies. Hope this helps!
18:41
ugh berkeley public interest scholars is binding. idk what to do
18:41
what do u guys think with my stats. ED berk worth it or nah
18:41
bunny^? idk apply and cross that bridge when u get there imo but im clueless.
18:43
what a difficult decision hm. gotta research berk more ig
18:43
hey did u take the Nov lsat Chowie?
18:43
binding scares me but its the only chance at a full ride. and no i didnt i canceled
I mean it is not a bad option, unless you're shooting for HYS or something.
18:44
yeah harvard is def my dream
18:45
I believe regarding PI binding @ NYU? we came to the conclusion that: if you get it, it is binding IF u accept it, after you are admitted, chances are at that point u would know (likely) outcome @ other options. can anyone confirm?
@ChowieBean: Well if HLS is your dream, then don't apply binding somewhere else—at least I wouldn't do that.
18:47
yes i'm sure that one's binding if you accept. and yeah i probably wont bind to berkeley but i want to still write a public interest essay for them
18:54
I wish eggan jackfrost wasp bunny where here to input some knowledge since they are PI focused. texas seems right- it just really depends on the margin of utility u see in each school, if u are deadest on HLS- likely dont do anything binding to other schools?
18:56
agree i just feel like it's such a pipe dream for HLS to be dream school
PerpetualCheerfulBeaver
18:58
yall think there will be A's sent tomorrow? or that it will be after thanksgiving
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