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Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Anti-Discrimination Act of 1965

In a weakening of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court on Wednesday imposed restrictions on American states taking race into consideration when drawing electoral districts. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote within the majority opinion that utilizing race as a consider state choices represented “a departure from the constitutional rule that applies in almost every other context.”

The particular case involved a redrawing of electoral districts in Louisiana. The state, the place a few third of residents are black, had drawn two of its six districts to incorporate a majority of black voters. Proponents of the transfer stated it was obligatory for Louisiana to adjust to the Voting Rights Act, which was meant to stop racial discrimination in opposition to minorities, significantly blacks.

Since blacks and minorities historically vote Democratic, the choice is more likely to profit Republicans. It possible calls into query the boundaries of dozens of voting districts which have a black, Hispanic or Asian majority.