lune 26, 2013
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Setback for Voting Rights Act of 1964
Divided court
says law doesn’t
meet ‘current
conditions’
(AP) — A deeply divided Su­
preme Court on Tuesday halted
e n fo rc e m e n t o f the fed e ra l
government's most potent tool to
stop voting discrimination over the
past half century, saying it does not
reflect racial progress.
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In a 5-4 ruling, the court declared
unconstitutional a provision of the
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Representatives from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund stand
landmark Voting Rights Act that
determines which states and locali­ outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday,
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awaiting
a
decision
on
the
Voting
Rights
Act
o
f
1964.
The
ties must get W ashington's ap­
Supreme Court ruled that the landmark law cannot be enforced
p ro v al fo r p ro p o se d e le c tio n
until Congress comes up with a new way o f determining which
changes.
• Minister
President Barack Obama, the states and localities require close federal monitoring of elections.
(AP photo)
• Large Sanctuary
upon request
nation's first black chief executive,
issued a statement saying he was host of state and local laws that
and Balcony
than they have been in decades,"
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"deeply disappointed" with the rul­ have not received Justice Depart­
said Jon Greenbaum, chief counsel
ing.
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ment approval or have not yet been for the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil
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The decision effectively puts an submitted will be able to take effect.
Rights Under Law. "Today's deci­
• Provided Hearst
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end to the advance approval re­ Prominent among those are voter
sion is a blow to democracy. Jurisdic­
quirem ent that has been used, identification laws in Alabama and
tions will be able to enact policies
mainly in the South, to open up Mississippi.
which prevent minorities from vot­
polling places to minority voters in
Going forward, the outcome al­ ing, and the only recourse these citi­
the nearly half century since it was ters the calculus of passing elec­
On the corner o f M allory and Alberta
zens will have will be expensive and
first enacted in 1965, unless Con­ tion-related legislation in the af­
2 blocks West of MLK, Jr., Blvd
time-consuming litigation."
gress can come up with a new for­ fected states and local jurisdictions.
Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the
mula that Chief Justice John Rob­ The threat of an objection from
NAACP Legal Defense and Educa­
erts said meets "current conditions" Washington has hung over elec­
tional Fund, said, "This is like let­
in the United States.
tion-related proposals for nearly a ting you keep your car, but taking
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Roberts, writing for a conserva­ half century. At least until Con­ away the keys."
tive majority, said the law Congress gress acts, that deterrent now is
most recently renewed in 2006relies gone.
on 40-year-old data that does not
That prospect has upset civil
reflect racial progress and changes rights groups which especially worry
in U.S. society.
that changes on the local level might
"The coverage formula that Con­ not get the same scrutiny as the
gress reauthorized in 2006 ignores actions of state legislatures.
these developments, keeping the
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
focus on decades-old data relevant joined by her three liberal col­
to decades-old problems, rather than leagues, dissented from Tuesday's
Truly making a difference in the lives of
current data reflecting current ruling.
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
needs," Roberts said.
"Hubris is a fit word for today's
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
Obama was sharply critical of the demolition" of the law, Ginsburg
ruling and called on Congress to said.
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reinvigorate the law.
She said no one doubts that vot­
"While today's decision is a set­ ing discrimination still exists. "But
back, it doesn’t represent the end of the court today terminates the rem­
We are located on the
our efforts to end voting discrimina­ edy that proved to be best suited to
corner o f MLK and Russell
tion," the president said. "I am call­ block that discrimination," she said
Street, on the second floor
ing on Congress to pass legislation in a dissent that she read aloud in
above the coffee shop.
to ensure every American has equal the packed courtroom.
access to the polls."
Justice Clarence Thomas was
That task eluded Congress in part of the majority, but wrote sepa­
2006 when lawmakers overwhelm­ rately to say again that he would
ingly renewed the advance approval have struck down the advance ap­
,ACT1
requirement with no changes in the proval requirement itself.
Au
(Y CU,
system by which states and local
Civil rights lawyers condemned
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jurisdictions were chosen for cov­ the ruling.
erage. And Congress did nothing in
"The Supreme Court has effec­
response to a high court ruling in a tively gutted one of the nation's most
similar challenge in 2009 in which important and effective civil rights
the justices raised many of the same laws. Minority voters in places with
Russell St.
concerns.
a record of discrimination are now at
Tuesday's decision means that a greater risk of being disenfranchised
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