JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH TENNESSEE
ON VOTING MATTERS

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with the state of Tennessee to resolve allegations that state offices violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 during the 2000 presidential election.

The complaint and agreed-to consent decree resolves allegations that the state of Tennessee violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by failing to implement voter registration opportunities in state public assistance offices. The complaint further alleged that driver's license applications did not serve as an application for voter registration.

"This agreement will help ensure that federal voting rights laws are followed in future elections in Tennessee," said Ralph F. Boyd Jr., Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "We appreciate the cooperation and willingness to negotiate an effective agreement demonstrated by Governor Sundquist and the state of Tennessee during our investigation of this matter."

The consent decree is the product of cooperative negotiations between the United States and the state of Tennessee over the past several months. In addition, following the 2000 presidential election and prior to our negotiations, Tennessee engaged in substantial efforts to correct some of its existing NVRA compliance issues. Under the provisions of the consent decree, Tennessee will, among other things:

•establish and implement uniform procedures pertaining to distribution, collection, transmission and retention of voter registration applications;

• develop and implement mandatory, annual NVRA training programs for all counselors and employees whose responsibilities include providing Tennessee driver's licenses and public assistance or services to residents with disabilities;

• ensure the timely collection of voter registration applications and appropriate transmittal county election officials.

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq., and 28 U.S.C. 2201 ("NVRA"), requires states to, among other things, establish procedures for persons to register to vote in elections for federal offices at all motor vehicle driver's license stations, at all state agencies that provide public assistance and/or services to persons with disabilities, and at other state-designated agencies, and to provide mail-in applications at public libraries, public high schools, and other locations of the state's designation.

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