Justice Says N.C. City Must Have Party Affiliations to Protect Black Voters

The Justice Department has overruled a small North Carolina city's attempt to end the use of party affiliation in local elections, according to a report in The Washington Times.

According to the article, the Justice Department ruled that party affiliations are needed in part to protect equal rights for black voters. The department determined that white voters in Kinston, N.C., would only cast their ballots for black candidates if they run as Democrats.

The decision was made by the same department official who dismissed a case against New Black Panther Party members in Philadelphia.

But local residents and politicians are complaining that the Justice Department has gone too far in its latest decision, and are threatening to challenge the decision in court.

One former Republican state lawmaker told the Times the move was "racial as well as partisan."

U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, also issued a written statement Tuesday condemning the Justice decision.

"The DOJ has no business overruling a local election and should not be putting an emphasis on race. The DOJ is essentially insulting African-American voters by saying that they are not smart enough to vote for candidates that do not have a D by their names," he said. "Elections in the United States should be about policy and ideas, not about the race of the candidates or voters."

Click here to read the full story in The Washington Times.