Black leaders rip plans for N.O. election

The US Department of Justice has approved a plan for elections in the City of New Orleans over the bitter objections of many civil rights leaders. The first elections since hurricane Katrina are to be held on April 22nd. The issue here is that there are concerns about the fact that because fewer than half of the city's 465,000 inhabitants have come back to the city.

Another concern is that Louisiana officials have yet to ensure that those voters scattered from New Orleans due to the storm will be able to vote. Satellite polling places were to be established around the state for those New Orleans residents displaced by the storm. In addition to that information has been sent to those displaced residents with the use of newspaper ads printed in newspapers around the county to inform displaced New Orleans residents about the election.

Here is a quote...

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said he'll organize marches and sue to block the election. ''Two-thirds of the eligible population has been disenfranchised,'' he said after the Justice Department decision. ''This is more onerous than the poll tax laws of 1965.''

Black leaders rip plans for N.O. election from Chicago Sun-Times