FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 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 California 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 decision upholding
the constitutionality of the National Voter Registration Act.  
We have never understood why Governor Wilson would stand in the
way of a law that simplifies voter registration for Californians. 
     Today's decision sends a clear message that Congress was
well within its authority to pass a law making it easier for all
Americans to register to vote.  The decision also demonstrates
that the Governor 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 of Californian's can, as well. 

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