Section 2 Archives | American Democracy Minute

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, Born Out of ‘Bloody Sunday,’ Fights for Its Life in the Face of an Activist U.S. Supreme Court Majority

March 10, 2025March 10, 2025

Five months after peaceful voting rights marchers were viciously attacked by their own government in Selma, Alabama, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson. Anti-voter legislatures are now challenging the VRA’s protections, even though that discrimination continues.

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 January 24th, a Trump DOJ official rescinded that brief, saying it no longer represented the U.S. Government.

What’s Ahead for 2025: VRA Majority Minority Voting Districts at Risk in Louisiana Redistricting Case at the U.S. Supreme Court

December 29, 2024December 29, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear a Louisiana redistricting case with repercussions for minority voters around the country. It could further dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act Section 2.

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.

Galveston County, TX Racial Gerrymandering Case Could Weaken Voting Rights Act Protections for Mixed Minority Communities

May 30, 2024May 31, 2024

The U.S. Federal Court’s Fifth Circuit, known for its conservative and sometimes fringe rulings, recently reheard a case from Galveston County, Texas over whether a community of African Americans and Latinx Americans qualifies for protections under the Voting Rights Act. The court’s opinion could further weaken the VRA.