SCOTUS Archives | American Democracy Minute

Majority-Minority Voting Districts Give Minority Voters a Fair Chance to Elect Proper Representation. The Equal Protection Clause is Now Being Used to Try to End Them

January 28, 2025January 28, 2025

There are 141 majority-minority congressional voting districts in the U.S., out of 435. A new conservative legal tactic has emerged, arguing such districts harm White Americans, and citingthe Equal Protection Clause, originally passed to end state discrimination against Black Americans.

What is the Equal Protections Clause and How Have Interpretations of It Changed?

January 27, 2025January 27, 2025

The Equal Protection Clause, embedded in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, is now being used to dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act, opening the door to even more voter suppression. What’s its history, and why is it being used now?

Trump’s DOJ Reverses Position on Pending Voting Rights Act Case, Signaling Further Attacks on Fair Voting Districts for Minority Voters

January 26, 2025January 26, 2025

The Biden administration’s solicitor general submitted a Supreme Court brief in 2024, supporting fair Congressional voting maps in Louisiana under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. January 24th, a Trump DOJ official rescinded that brief, saying it no longer represented the U.S. Government.

ND Native American Nation Prevails in Protecting Majority-Minority Voting Districts. A Victory for Minority Voters, But GOP Efforts to Neutralize the VRA Continue

January 16, 2025January 16, 2025

Native American voters prevailed in federal court against the State of North Dakota, protecting the ability to elect the candidate of their choice. The state has a history of diluting Native voting power.

For the First Time in American History, Alabama Has 2 Black Members Congress, Thanks to the Protections of the VRA. It Wasn’t Easy.

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Section 2 provides opportunity for communities of minority voters to elect the Congressional candidate of their choice by creating a majority minority voting district. In 2025, Alabama - for the first time in history – has two Black members of Congress. It wasn’t easy.