Voting Rights in Arizona: 1982–2006
VOTING RIGHTS IN ARIZONA: 1982–2006 JAMES THOMAS TUCKER,* RODOLFO ESPINO,† TARA BRITE, SHANNON CONLEY, BEN HOROWITZ, ZAK WALTER AND SHON ZELMAN‡ I. INTRODUCTION TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT A. HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION Before the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), Arizo- nans of Hispanic, American Indian, African-American and Asian heritage were the victims of discrimination in virtually every area of their social and political lives. The town of Winslow adopted a policy segregating public swimming pools that allowed only Anglos to use the pool on days it was cleaned, and Mexican Americans, American Indians and African-Americans on other days.1 Similarly, Arizona adopted an anti-miscegenation law banning mar- riages between persons of “Caucasian blood” and those of “Negro, Mongo- lian, Malay, or Hindu” blood.2 American Indians were included in an ear- lier version of the anti-miscegenation statute, but were removed as a result of a 1942 amendment.3 African-Americans were not removed from the * Adjunct Professor, Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University. † Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, Arizona State University. ‡ Student Researchers, Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University. 1 Complaint, Baca v. City of Winslow, No. Civ-394-Prct (D. Ariz. 1955). The policy ended as a result of a consent agreement between the parties. 2 ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 25-101(A) (1956). In 1959, an Arizona Superior Court judge de- clared the statute unconstitutional in Oyama v. O’Neill, No. 61269 (Ariz. Super. Ct. Dec. 23, 1959). TERRY GODDARD, ARIZ. ATTORNEY GEN., THE PROMISE OF BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION: A MONOGRAPH 6–7 (Mar.
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