What Expires in 2007?

Section 5, the federal monitor and observer provisions (Sections 6-9) and the bilingual voting material provision (Section 203) are known as the special provisions of the VRA. These special provisions have a remedial purpose and limited duration.

While the permanent provisions of the VRA do not require legislative reauthorization, the special provisions will expire at the end of the period of years specified by Congress when enacted or renewed.

The special provisions allow for significant federal oversight of state and local voting functions for jurisdictions deemed to have the worst and most persistent histories of voting discrimination against their minority populations. This heightened oversight is intended to identify and prevent proposed voting changes that worsen the position of minority voters, or, just as significantly, to deter covered jurisdictions from seeking to proposing such voting changes from the outset.

The Preclearance and Bail Out Provisions of the Voting Rights Act
The Federal Examiner and Observer Provisions of the Voting Rights Act
The Language Assistance Provisions of the Voting Rights Act