Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965's preclearance regime, under which certain states and localities with histories of racial discrimination in voting had to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws. On 25 June 2013 the Court ruled 5 to 4 that the formula determining which jurisdictions were covered by preclearance was unconstitutional because it relied on data more than forty years old, and while the Court did not strike down the preclearance requirement itself, no jurisdiction remained subject to it without a new coverage formula from Congress. Studies since the ruling have found it associated with reduced minority voter turnout, closures of polling places concentrated in the counties previously covered, and cuts to early voting.
Facts
Key ProvisionDecided 25 June 2013: struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, ending its coverage formula for federal preclearance of jurisdictions' voting changes. 1 Classification
Document TypeCourt Ruling or Judicial Opinion 1 Connections
Associated With
Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, 2013.
Source Shelby County v. Holder (Wikipedia)
Drafted By
Source Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School: Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013)
Sources
1. Shelby County v. Holder (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHolding section
Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is unconstitutional; its formula can no longer be used as a basis for subjecting jurisdictions to preclearance.
Document type, description
Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965's preclearance regime, under which certain states and localities with histories of racial discrimination in voting had to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws.
In Group: United States Supreme Court Decisions Since 2000, Lead paragraph
Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the constitutionality of two provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Section 5, which requires certain states and local governments to obtain federal preclearance before implementing any changes to their voting laws or practices; and subsection (b) of Section 4, which contains the coverage formula that determines which jurisdictions are subject to preclearance based on their histories of racial discrimination in voting.
View the Source Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School: Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013)
Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law SchoolDrafted By: John Roberts, Opinion of the CourtQuote, Drafted By: John Roberts, Opinion of the Court
Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court
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