Suchergebnisse

HAS THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT PROVISION REQUIRING LOCAL BOUNDARY CHANGES TO BE PRECLEARED BY FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO ENSURE MINORITY VOTING STRENGTH BEEN EXCESSIVE NATIONAL INTERVENTION, OR HAS LOCAL POLITICAL DETERMINATION BEEN RETAINED? THIS QUESTION IS EXAMINED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, WHERE THE VRA WAS THE CATALYST FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF HOUSTON'S CITY COUNCIL IN 1979. AT FIRST GLANCE, THE HOUSTON CASE SEEMS TO SUGGEST OVERT FEDERAL INTERVENTION. ON CLOSER EXAMINATION, HOWEVER, THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT COUNCIL CHANGE WAS BORN OUT OF COMPROMISES AMONG CONTENDING LOCAL GROUPS. FEDERAL OFFICIALS WERE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESSES OF CHANGE, BUT ACTED AS RULES INTERPRETERS AND REFEREES RATHER THAN AS DIRECTORS OF CHANGE.