Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Rule That Impacts Voting Rights Act: What It Means for Voters

The U.S. Supreme Court recently made an important decision about voting rights, maintaining the ability for voters to sue if their rights are violated under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, aimed to stop practices that discriminated against voters, particularly African Americans, like literacy tests and poll taxes.

A case from North Dakota sparked this decision. In 2021, the state’s Republican-led legislature introduced a new redistricting plan. This plan was challenged by two Native American tribes, who argued it weakened their voting power, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. They pointed out that for the first time in 35 years, no Native American was serving in the North Dakota Senate.

A federal court sided with the tribes, halting the new redistricting map and pushing the state to create a fairer one. When the legislature failed to comply, the court mandated a map supported by the tribes, allowing for better representation in the 2024 elections.

However, North Dakota’s Secretary of State appealed this decision, claiming individuals couldn’t sue the government for alleged voting rights violations. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals backed this view, standing apart from most other courts in the country. The tribes then appealed to the Supreme Court, emphasizing that without intervention, the state could remove their elected representatives.

Interestingly, while the Supreme Court decided to uphold voters’ rights in this case, this win might not last. The Court is set to revisit a similar case from Louisiana next term, which might change the interpretation of the Voting Rights Act. Justice Clarence Thomas has previously argued that the Act itself is unconstitutional, and there is growing concern that the court may limit enforcement rights significantly.

In recent history, the court’s conservative majority has restricted the Voting Rights Act’s effectiveness. A notable instance was in 2013 when the Court invalidated a section that required states with a history of discrimination to seek approval from the Justice Department before changing voting laws. Since then, enforcing voting rights has become increasingly challenging.

The challenges faced by the tribes in North Dakota reflect broader issues in voting rights across the U.S. According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, nearly 60% of Americans believe that voting rights are under threat. As this debate continues, watching how the Supreme Court handles cases like these will be crucial. Their decisions will have lasting implications on how voting rights are protected—or restricted—in the future.

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