In the landmark case, Shelby County V. Holder (2013), the US Supreme Court struck down major 2

6. Writing Assignment #2:

Research Paper

(25% of final course grade)

provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act relating to the procedure of “pre-clearance.” Since the ruling, states like Texas, Georgia and North Carolina, can now make changes to their voting laws, such as photo ID requirements, that do not need to be pre-approved by the federal government. Supporters of this ruling say the pre-clearance rules are no longer needed and besides, states need new laws to protect against voter fraud. Opponents say that these laws are just a new form of voter suppression tactics that hit the poor and racial minorities hardest. Based on this, your paper must meet the following content, format and submission requirements:

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Describe the provisions (parts) of the Voting Rights Act that discuss the issue of “pre-
   clearance”.
2. Compare and contrast the views of those who think the federal government should have the
   power of “pre-clearance” and those who do not. Include at least three points of comparison.
3. Using evidence from any election in 2014 or later, argue whether or not you believe
   the federal government should have the power of “pre-clearance” relating to election laws.
   Include at least three reasons and/or examples to make your point.
4. List at least two things you could do in order to engage in the political process in pursuit of
   your position in (3) above.
5. Cite at least three (3) reliable, quality references within the body of the paper using the
   Chicago Manual of Style’s parenthetical citation style. One of the citations MUST come from the class textbook (-10 points if this is not done). You must have at least three parenthetical citations in the body of the paper that correctly match the sources properly formatted in the Works Cited Page.
   A paper with no parenthetical source citations in its body will receive a grade of 0.
   A paper with no works cited section (a.k.a. list of reference list, a.k.a. bibliography) at the end of the body will receive a grade of 0.

FORMAT REQUIREMENTS:

1. Typed, 2-3 pages (not counting Works Cited Page), 12-point font, double-spaced.
2. Your name, instructor name, POSC 1113, and the date.
3. A title is required, but a separate title page is not necessary.
4. An introduction with a thesis/statement of purpose in the first paragraph: “This paper will…”
5. A logically organized and sequenced body followed by a clearly stated conclusion.
6. Use of the Chicago Manual of Style’s parenthetical citation format. Students must be very
   careful and pay attention to details when they examine and cite internet sources. A paper with no parenthetical source citations and/or no Works Cited page at the end will receive a grade of 0; no second chances will be allowed.
7. Use of footnotes or endnotes is prohibited.
8. Using encyclopedias, like Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, history.com, kids.law.com, etc. is
   prohibited (-10 points).