Voting Rights Act

Section 2 of the U.S. Voting Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in the drawing of political districts (redistricting).

The Voting Rights Act has been a key federal tool used to help root out racial discrimination in voting for more than a half century.

A 2025 report by Black Voters Matter Fund and Fair Fight Action estimated that overturning Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could allow Republican-controlled states to redraw at least 19 additional U.S. House districts in ways that favor Republicans.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act has been interpreted to require the drawing of legislative districts that give racial or language-minority groups an opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.

The U.S. Supreme Court's term beginning in October 2025 includes cases addressing the constitutional scope of presidential power, challenges related to the Voting Rights Act, and legal disputes over presidential tariff authority.

Federal courts have the authority to enjoin state congressional maps and to order states to redraw district maps when the maps are found to violate federal law, including the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling finding a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in a case concerning Alabama's congressional map.

In 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Voting Rights Act's coverage formula for Section 5 preclearance was unconstitutional, effectively ending the requirement that jurisdictions with a history of discrimination obtain federal approval before making certain election-related changes.

In 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder invalidated Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act, removing the coverage formula that determined which jurisdictions required federal 'preclearance' before changing voting laws.

Since 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued decisions that have significantly weakened enforcement mechanisms of the Voting Rights Act.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was enacted on 1965-08-06 to protect racial minorities' voting rights.

The Voting Rights Act provides a legal basis for minority voters to challenge electoral maps that dilute their voting influence.

The Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965.

The Voting Rights Act includes provisions intended to prevent dilution of minority voting power, including protections related to how electoral district maps are drawn.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting practices, including aspects of redistricting, that result in the denial or abridgement of the right to vote on account of race, such as dilution of minority voting strength.

The Voting Rights Act is a landmark U.S. federal law enacted on August 6, 1965, that prohibits racial discrimination in voting and provides federal enforcement measures to protect voting rights.

The Voting Rights Act includes a provision that addresses redistricting to prevent dilution of minority voting power when drawing congressional district lines.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act provides a mechanism for addressing current-day manifestations of past and present decisions that disadvantaged racial or ethnic minorities in access to the voting system.

Federal election monitors have observed polling places in the United States since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

Racial gerrymandering, which involves drawing electoral district lines to intentionally target or dilute the voting power of racial minority groups, violates the federal Voting Rights Act.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act requires challengers to demonstrate current racially polarized voting and that minority populations are unable to elect candidates of their choice, among other factors.

Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act provides a legal basis to challenge voting practices and electoral maps that dilute minority voting strength and is used to ensure minority voters have the opportunity to elect their preferred candidates.