FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS DEVAL L. PATRICK ON TODAY'S RULING UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE "MOTOR-VOTER" LAW WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A federal judge in Chicago today upheld the constitutionality of the National Voter Registration Act, or the "motor-voter" law. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick issued the following statement: "We are extremely pleased with today's favorable decision upholding the constitutionality of the National Voter Registration Act. We have never understood why any state official would stand in the way of a law that simplifies voter registration for the residents of Illinois. Today's favorable decision follows a similar victory in California federal court earlier this month. The decisions send a clear message that Congress was well within its authority to pass a law making it easier for all Americans to register to vote. Today's decision also demonstrates that the state legislature had no legal basis for failing to comply with such a common sense law. Motor-voter is government made easy -- one stop shopping. Already the law is producing tremendous results across the country. Millions of Americans already are benefiting from this law -- now millions in Illinois can, as well." # # # 95-169