Mississippi Advisory Opinions August 19, 1985: 19850819 (August 19, 1985)

Advisory Opinion Text

Municipal Elections

Ms. Sarah Hill

Town Clerk

Post Office Box 35

Marion, Mississippi 39342

Dear Ms. Hill:

Attorney General Edwin Lloyd Pittman has received your letter of request and has assigned it to me for research and reply.

“Please advise or inform us as to the legal steps we need or should take if we should change the place to vote in the upcoming June municipal election. In the years past, Marion residents have voted in the Community House, for local, county and State elections. Now, we would like to consider changing this to our new Town Office Building which is located approximately half a mile from the Community House, on the main highway thru the heart of Marion.”

In response to your inquiry Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 specifically requires that an administrative action which changes the location of a polling place be submitted to and precleared by the U.S. Department of Justice before any such change can become effective.

For your information we are enclosing a copy of the federal regulations which outline the procedure for making submissions to the U.S. Attorney General.

Very truly yours,

Edwin Lloyd Pittman, Attorney General.