Northwest Austin MUD v. Gonzales: Amicus brief on behalf of Rodney and Nicole Louis, Angie Garcia, Lisa and David Diaz, and People for the American Way et al.

Amicus brief on behalf of Rodney and Nicole Louis, et al., Angie Garcia, et al., Lisa and David Diaz, et al., and People for the American Way. Teh questions presented are whether a municipal utility district that does not register voters is a “political subdivision” eligible to invoke the bailout provision in Section 4(a) of the Voting Rights Act when the Act’s plain language limits such “political subdivision[s]” to counties, parishes, and entities “which conduct[ ] registration for voting.”; and whether Congress acted within the scope of its enforcement powers under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments when, in light of an extensive legislative record of persistent unconstitutional discrimination against minority voters in covered jurisdictions and compelling evidence that a failure to renew Section 5 would result in backsliding of the progress that has been made, Congress reauthorized Section 5 of the Act. Amici argue that the judgment of the district court should be affirmed.