There have been several court imposed consent decress since the 80s as a result of Republican voter caging:
Quote:
In 1981, the Republican National Committee sent mailings to New Jersey voters in predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhoods. The 45,000 letters that could not be delivered were used to compile a challenge list to remove those voters from the rolls. As a result of a lawsuit filed against the effort, the Republican National Committee and New Jersey Republican State Committee entered into a consent decree with their Democratic party counterparts, prohibiting most racially targeted voter caging. In the decree, they agreed, in relevant part, to:
refrain from undertaking any ballot security activities in polling places or election districts where the racial or ethnic composition of such districts is a factor in the decision to conduct, or the actual conduct of, such activities there and where a purpose or significant effect of such activities is to deter qualified voters from voting . . . .
In 1986.... A Louisiana state court judge enjoined the program, finding that the clear intent was to remove blacks from the voting rolls. The national party organizations also returned to federal court in New Jersey, in litigation filed under the 1981 consent decree described above. In the short term, the RNC stipulated that it would not compile voter challenge lists or challenge voters on the basis of direct mail returned as undelivered. Ultimately, the case again settled, with a modification of the 1981 decree prohibiting the RNC from undertaking any ballot security program without the courts consent.
Brennan Center for Justice... Reported Instances of Voter Caging
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I believe there was another recent consent degree in OH after the 04 election. The loophole is that these decrees only apply to the
national parties...leaving the state republican parties to do what they want.