On Thursday, April 2, ACS and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund co-sponsored an important event on political participation in the wake of the 2008 election. Our distinguished panelists, which included a co-sponsor of the 2006 renewal of the Voting Rights Act, discussed the reauthorization of the section 5 of the Act, "preclearance" provision, and the Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder (NAMUDNO) case, a challenge to the constitutionality of that provision which is now pending before the Supreme Court. In addition, panelists considered recent evidence that voting discrimination and racially polarized voting  patterns persist in our country. Thank you to all who joined us for a rich and dynamic conversation about issues that strike at the core of our democracy.

The panel featured:

• John Payton, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
• Nina Perales, Southwest Regional Counsel, MALDEF
• Congressman Melvin L. Watt, U.S. Representative for the 12th District of North Carolina
• Moderator, Kristen Clarke, Co-director of the Political Participation Group, NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., U.S. Representative for the 5th District of Wisconsin, planned to attend but could not join the panel due to last minute schedule conflicts.

Thursday, April 2, 2009
The National Press Club, Conference Rooms
529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20045