Cite as: 517 U. S. 186 (1996)
Thomas, J., dissenting
submissions that predate the Attorney General's regulation.2 This fact confirms what common sense instructs: Most people who read § 5 simply would not think that the word "State" embraces political parties. This commonsense understanding also explains why virtually every one of this Court's § 5 cases has involved a challenge to, or a request for approval of, action undertaken by a State or a unit of state government.3
2 Justice Stevens has discovered five instances of such party submissions. See ante, at 200-201, n. 18. Per year, however, at least several thousand preclearance requests are sent to the Attorney General. See, e. g., Annual Report of the Attorney General 161 (1982) ("During the year, over 2,800 submissions involving more than 13,300 voting-related changes were submitted to the Attorney General under Section 5"); Annual Report of the Attorney General 131 (1986) ("During fiscal year 1986, over 3,700 submissions involving more than 20,000 changes were submitted to the Attorney General under Section 5").
3 See Presley v. Etowah County Comm'n, 502 U. S. 491 (1992); Clark v. Roemer, 500 U. S. 646 (1991); Pleasant Grove v. United States, 479 U. S. 462 (1987); McCain v. Lybrand, 465 U. S. 236 (1984); NAACP v. Hampton County Election Comm'n, 470 U. S. 166 (1985); City of Lockhart v. United States, 460 U. S. 125 (1983); Port Arthur v. United States, 459 U. S. 159 (1982); Hathorn v. Lovorn, 457 U. S. 255 (1982); Blanding v. DuBose, 454 U. S. 393 (1982); McDaniel v. Sanchez, 452 U. S. 130 (1981); City of Rome v. United States, 446 U. S. 156 (1980); Dougherty County Bd. of Ed. v. White, 439 U. S. 32 (1978); Berry v. Doles, 438 U. S. 190 (1978); United States v. Sheffield Bd. of Comm'rs, 435 U. S. 110 (1978); Morris v. Gressette, 432 U. S. 491 (1977); United States v. Board of Supervisors of Warren Cty., 429 U. S. 642 (1977); Beer v. United States, 425 U. S. 130 (1976); Richmond v. United States, 422 U. S. 358 (1975); Connor v. Waller, 421 U. S. 656 (1975); Georgia v. United States, 411 U. S. 526 (1973); Perkins v. Matthews, 400 U. S. 379 (1971); Hadnott v. Amos, 394 U. S. 358 (1969); Allen v. State Bd. of Elections, 393 U. S. 544 (1969). See also Arizona v. Reno, 887 F. Supp. 318 (DDC), appeal dism'd, 516 U. S. 1155 (1996).
Over the last 30 years, we have entertained only two § 5 cases brought against political parties. We vacated one when it became moot on appeal, State Democratic Executive Committee of Alabama v. Hawthorne, 499 U. S. 933 (1991), and summarily affirmed the denial of relief in the other. Williams v. Democratic Party of Georgia, Civ. Action No. 16286 (ND Ga., Apr. 6, 1972), aff'd, 409 U. S. 809 (1972).
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