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<br /> e A~NS & ARMSTRONG. P. C. <br /> ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br />Robert T. Herrera <br />June 22, 1999 <br />Page 2 <br />Thereafter, the City Council holds a public hearing on the proposed <br />plan, and, when adopted by City Council, the new plan must be filed <br />with the Voting Rights Division of the u.s. Department of Justice, <br />for preclearance under the Voting Rights Act of 1964, as amended. <br />A full brief must be filed with the Justice Department, reflecting <br />the census; the population determination; the findings of the <br />City's citizens committee, together with the evidence upon which <br />the findings were based; and evidence of the opportunities which <br />were given for citizen participation in the proceedings. <br />Based on past experience, this is a complex procedure, and <br />hopefully can be put in place in time for the 2002 election of City <br />Councilpersons. <br />You have asked the related question of the possibility of reducing <br />the number of polling places. Presently, a district polling place <br />is open on election day and runoff election day, if necessary, in <br />each of the respective districts. Absentee voting for all <br />elections is conducted at City Hall. Due to historic low voter <br />turnout at some of the districts, and the difficulty in obtaining <br />the election judges and clerks required by state law at each <br />polling place, the question has been raised as to whether the <br />number of polling places might be reduced. <br />I would suggest that this proposition be presented to the city's <br />citizens committee for its consideration, and made a part of its <br />deliberations and recommendations to City Council. Should the <br />recommendation be made that districts be consolidated for election <br />purposes, the City would have to make a showing to the Justice <br />Department that such consolidation will not unduly impede or <br />inconvenience the ability of voters to exercise their right to <br />vote. <br />Finally, it is my recollection that in the past, the City has had <br />input in the planning stages of the federal census, encouraging <br />federal census officials to make reference to the boundary lines <br />for the six Council districts, in establishing its census tracts. <br />If this could be done, it would make the determination of existing <br />population as of the year 2000, more convenient. <br />Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. <br /> tz:;;~UlY , <br /> Knox W. Askins <br /> City Attorney <br /> city of La Porte <br />KWA: sw <br /> 22.8 <br />