Dismantling Voting Rights Act means states with racist past don’t have election laws federally approved

Voting rights of millions threatened

As you can see from the historical picture above of President Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks at the signing of the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965, voting rights were central to African-American Civil Rights Movement of the period. Things have changed. From Ballot Access News latest article, “Seven States Ask U.S. Supreme Court to Invalidate Section 5 of Federal Voting Rights Act“:

On February 27, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court will hold an oral argument in Shelby County, Alabama v Holder, 12-96. This is the case that argues Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional. Section five is the part of the act that requires certain states, and certain governmental units within states, to get permission from the U.S. Justice Department before changing any election laws or practices.

Section Five has been upheld several times in the past by the U.S. Supreme Court, but opponents of Section Five argue that it is now obsolete. Recently, many amicus curiae briefs have been filed by opponents of Section Five, including the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas. See this web page, which lists all the amicus curiae briefs filed against Section Five. It is very likely that many amicus curiae briefs in support of Section Five will be filed in the next few weeks. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.