FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1995                           (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

       JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES SOUTH CAROLINA FOR REFUSING
        TO COMPLY WITH THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department today sued the state of South
Carolina for failing to comply with a law that simplifies voter registration.
Only 58% of the state's eligible citizens are registered to vote.  
     Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), most states 
were required by January 1, 1995, to provide voter registration for federal 
elections at motor vehicle locations and other state agencies as well as 
through the mail.  President Clinton signed the Act in May 1993.   
     South Carolina is only the fourth state to be sued for resisting the law.
     "This is a common sense law that makes it easier for all Americans to i
participate in the democratic process," said Attorney General Janet Reno. 
"Already, states are seeing tremendous increases in the number of people 
registering to vote." 
     Last year, South Carolina passed legislation to comply with the law, but 
the former Governor vetoed it.  A new Governor took office on January 11, and 
it appeared that the state's election commission was trying to comply.  While 
the Justice Department was working with the state to try to avoid litigation, 
the state sued the Justice Department challenging the law.  
     In its papers, filed today in U.S. District Court in Columbia, the 
Justice Department defended the law and countersued the state as well.
     "We cannot understand why any elected official would stand in the way of 
making it easier to register to vote," said Assistant Attorney General Deval 
L. Patrick.
     Last month, the Justice Department sued three other states that also 
resisted compliance. It sued Illinois and Pennsylvania after they failed to 
pass legislation or take administrative action to comply with the law.  It 
also countersued California, after that state's Governor filed suit
challenging the law.  In addition to countersuing the state for its refusal to 
comply, the Justice Department responded to the California suit by asserting 
that Congress acted within its authority when it passed the law.
     "Congress has the authority to regulate federal elections, and it used 
that authority when it passed the law," added Reno.  "We now must use the 
authority that Congress gave us to enforce it."
     Three states -- Arkansas, Virginia and Vermont -- have been provided 
additional time to comply in order to amend their state constitutions.  Four 
states -- Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming -- are exempt from 
the law because they already had same day or no registration prior to the 
enactment of the law.
     "With the exception of a handful of states, every state is complying or 
working towards complying with the law," added Reno.

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