US Supreme Court under Roberts takes 'wrecking ball' to Voting Rights Act
The U.S. Supreme Court, under Chief Justice John Roberts, delivered a 6-3 ruling that significantly weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it harder for minority groups to challenge racially discriminatory electoral maps. This decision follows a series of prior rulings that have eroded key provisions of the landmark civil rights law, including the 2013 invalidation of the Section 5 preclearance requirement. Critics argue the court has systematically dismantled core protections of the Voting Rights Act, while supporters say the rulings uphold a 'color-blind' interpretation of the Constitution.
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US Supreme Court under Roberts takes 'wrecking ball' to Voting Rights ActSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished Apr 30, 2026, 06:13 PMUpdated Apr 30, 2026, 07:13 PMListenWASHINGTON, April 30 - The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has often been called the crown jewel of the U.S. civil rights movement. But under a U.S. Supreme Court led for two decades by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, experts said, that jewel has lost its luster.In a 6-3 ruling on Wednesday powered by its conservative justices, the court gutted what scholars said was the last remaining pillar of the landmark law enacted after the "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma, Alabama with the aim of preventing racial discrimination in voting."The metaphor is a wrecking ball," said Rick Hasen, an election…
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