Background: This complaint alleges that the Secretary of State of Alabama has adopted a new procedure or practice relating to voting without obtaining "preclearance" for that practice. The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 provides that Alabama and many other states may not enforce new voting practices without first showing that the new practice does not have the purpose, and will not have the effect, of discriminating against racial minorities -- this process is called "preclearance."

Complaint (filed 19 December 2005) [the case has been assigned number 2:05-cv-2562]