Will the Voting Rights Act espire in 2007?

[deb2world]

In 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voters Right Act to allow minorities especially blacks to be allowed to vote without strings attached.

In 1982 Ronald Reagon amended the Act to continue it for another 25 years.

That means it will expire in 2007.

Is the above true?

Why hasn’t this act been made into a law?

[Mahaloth]

It took me 5 seconds to find this one on snopes.com

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/pending/voting.htm

In short, no.

[SmackFu]

I like this part from the Snopes e-mail:

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed an amendment to extend this right for an additional twenty-five years. You guessed it . . . In 2007 (ten years from now), Congress will decide whether or not Blacks should retain the right to vote. In order for this to be passed, thirty-eight states will have to approve an extension

What is that stuff in bold? That doesn’t even logically follow. Reagan extended it by signing a law, but in 2007 it would have to be extended by a Constitutional amendment (the only thing that requires state ratification)?

[Polycarp]

What may lie behind this Urban Legend is the fact that certain states, including parts of North Carolina, are required to obtain pre-approval for their redistricting from the Federal government to ensure that the rights of minority voters are not diluted by careful gerrymandering. That requirement does have a time limitation and will expire unless extended.