VRA Archives | American Democracy Minute

Federal Appeals Court Says a Galveston,Texas Coalition of Black and Latinx Voters Doesn’t Qualify as a Majority Minority Voting District

August 4, 2024August 4, 2024

Black & Latinx voters sued Galveston County, TX in 2022 over racially gerrymandered voting maps intended to dilute the power of minority voters. The lower court judge in the case called the maps “mean-spirited” and “egregious,” but an appeals court just blocked minority coalitions from bringing such challenges.

The SCOTUS Majority is Bent on Dismantling the Voting Rights Act. Lacking Federal Protection, Pro-Democracy States are Enacting State VRAs

June 26, 2024June 26, 2024

We reported recently on the impact of Shelby County v. Holder, the U.S. Supreme Court majority’s decision invalidating Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Anticipating even more erosion of the VRA, some states have passed their own state VRAs.

Eleven Years After Shelby County v. Holder, Unfettered Anti-Voter Legislatures are Stripping Voting Rights at an Alarming Rate

June 25, 2024June 26, 2024

June 25th is the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s infamous Shelby County v. Holder decision. It stripped federal oversight of states with a history of discrimination from the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Since then, over 100 restrictive voting bills have been passed by state legislatures.

The Purcell Principle: A SCOTUS Decision Intended to Avoid Voter Confusion May Now Be a Stealth Voter Suppression Tactic

May 15, 2024May 15, 2024

You may have heard references to the “Purcell principle” in news reports. What started as a U.S. Supreme Court opinion to minimize confusion and disruption close to an election, may now be a partisan voter suppression tactic.

What is the ‘Gingles Test’ and How Does it Impact Minority Voting Rights?

May 7, 2024May 7, 2024

Today, we’re looking at a principle called the “Gingles Test” that federal courts use when determining whether a gerrymandered redistricting map is a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. How that test is interpreted can determine whether minority voters can elect the candidate of their choice, or their vote is diluted by an anti-voter state legislature.