Supreme Court to hear voting rights case

Voting rights case to be heard by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the requirement that a local government get permission from the Justice Department before making even small changes in voting procedures -- from moving a polling place to changing when a poll opens.

The challenge to Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act could affect how elections are run in some states. The current law requires nine states -- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia -- to submit any election changes to Justice officials to ensure that they wouldn't adversely affect minorities.The same requirement affects parts of seven states -- New York, California, Florida, North Carolina, South Dakota, Michigan and New Hampshire.

At issue is whether Section 5 is constitutional and whether certain jurisdictions can "bail out" of the pre-approval requirement if they show that they've kept racial discrimination away from the ballot box for at least 10 years.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Rep. Robert Aderholt backs Tim James for governor

ARKANSAS: State GOP gears up for U.S. Senate race

FLORIDA: Offshore drilling pushed by conservative Republicans in the House

GEORGIA: Ad campaign implores U.S. Rep. Barrow to vote for energy legislation

KENTUCKY: Research center aims to take on overseas battery manufacturers

LOUISIANA: More than 1,000 bills to be debated in 2009 legislative session

MISSISSIPPI: State's mental health system to be studied by panel

NORTH CAROLINA: House to hear from public on budget items Tuesday

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's Democrats meet, consider candidates for 2010 governor's race

TENNESSEE: Natural gas fee seen as hidden tax by some

VIRGINIA: Democratic primary is six weeks away

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