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petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to grant ... - Election Law Blog

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18aAppendix DThornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30, 50-51, 106 S.Ct.2752, 92 L.Ed.2d 25 (1986). Failure <strong>to</strong> establish anyone of <strong>the</strong> Gingles fac<strong>to</strong>rs by a preponderance of <strong>the</strong>evidence precludes a fi nding of vote dilution, because“[t]hese circumstances are necessary preconditions formultimember districts <strong>to</strong> operate <strong>to</strong> impair minorityvoters’ ability <strong>to</strong> elect representatives of <strong>the</strong>ir choice.” Id.at 50, 106 S.Ct. 2752.C. Totality of <strong>the</strong> CircumstancesIf all three Gingles requirements are established, acourt must next consider <strong>the</strong> “<strong>to</strong>tality of circumstances”<strong>to</strong> determine whe<strong>the</strong>r members of a racial group haveless opportunity than o<strong>the</strong>r members of <strong>the</strong> elec<strong>to</strong>rate<strong>to</strong> participate in <strong>the</strong> political process and <strong>to</strong> electrepresentatives of <strong>the</strong>ir choice. League of United LatinAm. Citizens v. Perry, 548 U.S. 399, 425-26, 126 S.Ct.2594, 165 L.Ed.2d 609 (2006) (“LULAC”). The SenateJudiciary Committee Report accompanying <strong>the</strong> 1982amendments <strong>to</strong> Section 2 of <strong>the</strong> Voting Rights Actidentifies fac<strong>to</strong>rs relevant <strong>to</strong> this inquiry. See S.Rep. No.97-417 (1982), reprinted in 1982 U.S.C.C.A.N. 177. Thislist of fac<strong>to</strong>rs, however, is “nei<strong>the</strong>r comprehensive norexclusive.” Gingles, 478 U.S. at 45, 106 S.Ct. 2752. The“Senate fac<strong>to</strong>rs” include:(1) <strong>the</strong> extent of any his<strong>to</strong>ry of officialdiscrimination in <strong>the</strong> state or politicalsubdivision that <strong>to</strong>uched <strong>the</strong> right of membersof <strong>the</strong> minority group <strong>to</strong> register, vote, oro<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>to</strong> participate in <strong>the</strong> democraticprocess;

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