I strongly support partisan elections because knowing a candidate’s party affiliation is information that can be valuable to voters. However, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) really thinks partisan elections are important.
Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, DOJ has to approve proposed changes to elections in certain jurisidictions, including the city of Kinston.
The city of Kinston wanted to make its city elections non-partisan. The DOJ just informed the city that it couldn’t make this change, arguing ?the elimination of party affiliation on the ballot will likely reduce the ability of blacks to elect candidates of choice.?
What about cities that already have non-partisan elections–are they disenfranchising blacks? Couldn’t this lack of information argument be applied to anyone, regardless of race?
I’m going to try and get a copy of the letter to see if there’s something DOJ has identified that makes Kinston somehow unique compared to other cities that justifies it being treating differently when it comes to elections.
