Voting Rights at Risk: Supreme Court Cases Could Erase Decades of Progress Against Racially Biased Maps and Voter Suppression

The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 was a crucial turning point in the U.S., designed to end racial discrimination in voting and ensure political representation for Black Americans. Despite its transformative role in reshaping American democracy, its protections are under increasing threat, especially in the face of Supreme Court rulings and state-level challenges. Todd Cox of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund states, “Democracy is at stake,” highlighting how efforts to protect voting rights are met with intense backlash as Black communities continue to secure political representation.

Historically, the VRA responded to discriminatory practices like literacy tests and voter suppression tactics used to undermine Black voting power. Following the violent 1965 events in Selma, Alabama, where Jimmie Lee Jackson’s death and the brutal beating of John Lewis ignited national outrage, the Act was passed to ensure that such tactics could not hinder Black voter participation. The Act's enforcement fundamentally altered the political landscape, mandating federal oversight of changes to voting laws in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination.

However, the Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013 weakened the VRA by invalidating its pre-clearance provision, which required states with a history of voter discrimination to get approval for any changes to their voting laws. This decision allowed states to pass laws that disproportionately impact communities of color, such as voter ID requirements and voter roll purges. Sophia Lin Lakin from the ACLU explains, "It really accelerated in this moment the attacks on voting access."

The threat to the VRA continues, with ongoing legal battles like Louisiana’s challenge to Section 2 of the VRA, which ensures fair representation for racial minorities. These shifts mean that discriminatory practices are more likely to resurface, and without the Department of Justice’s active role in enforcing voting rights, marginalized communities face increased risk of disenfranchisement.

Lakin warns that the Court’s actions could “turn hard-fought civil rights law on its head,” potentially undermining decades of progress. The erosion of the VRA marks a critical moment, particularly for communities striving to ensure that their voices are heard in the political process.

Link: The Guardian