 Georgia Department of Law Runoff Election Research Files
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteThis collection was compiled as supporting materials in the Brooks majority vote litigation. In this voting rights action, Brooks vs. Board of Elections, the plaintiffs, 27 black Georgia residents and voters, challenged the majority vote requirements for primary elections in Georgia. In the event where no candidate receives a majority of votes cast a run-off primary will be held between the candidates receiving the two highest amount of votes. Between 1970 and 1995, there were a total of 2,798 runoff sequences. Of 2,773 of these, there were 278 which involved a black candidate and a white candidate in both the primary election and the runoff. In 85 of these, the candidate who won a plurality of votes in the initial primary lost in the runoff. These are called "flip" sequences. In 56 of the flip sequences, the black candidate lost the runoff after receiving a plurality of the votes in the initial primary. Overall, the majority vote requirement for primary elections yielded a net result of 27 fewer black candidates than would be nominated under a pure plurality scheme. The plaintiffs contended that the majority vote requirement violates section two of the Voting Rights Act. After a bench trial, the district court ruled that Georgia's majority vote provision for primary elections is constitutional and does not violate section two. The plaintiffs challenged the vote requirements for primary elections for single member, county-level offices, members of the General Assembly, superior court judges and district attorneys, and judges and justices of the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court. However, after a bench trial, the district court ruled that Georgia's majority provision for primary elections is constitutional and does not violate constitutional rights. Scope and ContentThis collection includes election files from the 1950's to the 1990s. These election files include information on county tabulation records, election results by precinct and county, documents recording the race of both voters and candidates, and election results for runoffs and special elections. There are various papers in different colors (yellow, blue, etc.) that are used for dividers; these papers have no pertinent information regarding the collection. Organization and ArrangementThis collecton is arranged in four series: I. 1950s and 1960s Election Files; II. 1970s Election Files; III. 1980s Election Files; and IV. 1990s Election Files. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessThis collection is open for research. Preferred CitationRichard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. Copyright InformationBefore material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||