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Supreme Court rules in Voting Rights Act case
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Filed Under: Law | Politics

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled in the final Voting Rights Act case of the term.

The justices sidestepped a major issue in the case. They declined to rule on the constitutionality of Section 5 of the law, which requires certain states to seek federal approval before making changes to election laws or redistricting that might affect minority, including Indian, voters.

But the 8-1 opinion from the court indicated that Section 5 may be outdated. "The preclearance requirement represents an intrusion into areas of state and local responsibility that is otherwise unfamiliar to our federal system," the syllabus for the case stated.

The outcome of the case was to allow all political subdivisions of a state to seek a "bailout" under the act that allows them to avoid seeking preclearance.

Get the Story:
Voting Rights Act Upheld, But Court Hints at Change (The Washington Post 6/23)
Justices Retain Oversight by U.S. on Voting (The New York Times 6'/23)
Ruling Prompts a Mixed Response (The New York Times 6/23)

Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder:
Syllabus | Opinion [Roberts] | Concurrence/Dissent [Thomas]

Related Stories:
Supreme Court narrows scope of Voting Rights Act (3/10)

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