Speech #910329646

JUSTC BLACKMuN join. concurring in part and dissenting in part. In these cases we deal with the constitutional validity of three provisions of the Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1970. Congress undertook in these provisions: (a) to abolish for a fiveyear period all literacy tests and similar voting eligibility requirements imposed by any State in the Union (� 201). (b) to remove the restrictions imposed by state durational residency requirements upon voters in presidential elections (� 202). and (c) to reduce the voting age to a maximum of 18 years for all voters in all elections throughout the Nation (� 302). The Court today upholds � 201s nationwide literacy test ban and � 202s elimination of state durational residency restrictions in presidential elections. Section 302s extension of the franchise to 18yearold voters is. by virtue of the prevailing opinion of MR. JusTCE BLAcK. upheld as applied to federal elections. I agree with the Court in sustaining the congressional ban on state literacy tests. for substantially the same reasons relied upon by MR. JUSTICE BLAcK. I also agree that the action of Congress in removing the restrictions of state residency requirements in presidential elections is constitutionally valid. but I base this judgment upon grounds quite different from those relied upon by