Supreme Court Limits Reach of Voting Rights Act in Minority Redistricting
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an anti-dilution provision of the Voting Rights Act does not protect minorities in redistricting fights where they make up less than half of the population.
The court said the provisions designed to maintain minority influence apply only when minority groups can elect their preferred candidate without the help of white voters, Bloomberg reports. The decision affirmed a North Carolina Supreme Court opinion that overturned a redistricting plan aimed at preserving minority voting power.
The court found the law does not require redrawing of district boundaries to include a racial group that would make up less than half of the population in the new district, SCOTUSblog explains. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the controlling opinion, which was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia supported the result but argued that the Voting Rights Act doesn’t allow any dilution claims, SCOTUSblog says.
The decision (PDF) is Bartlett v. Strickland.
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
