Voting rights provision ruled unconstitutional
22nd June 2009
By a unanimous vote, the justices allowed states and local communities more power to challenge the “preclearance” provision of the 1965 law. That provision provides continuing federal control over election practices in 16 states, based on past discrimination against minority voters.
A step in the right direction. The provision invalidated basically made a mockery of any pretense to federalism.
Civil rights groups say Section 5 has proved to be an important tool to protect minority voters from local governments that could set unfair or unconstitutional barriers to the polls. If it is ruled unconstitutional, they warned the justices, the very power and effect of the entire Voting Rights Act would crumble.
Speed the day. We’ve outgrown such nonsense.
Justice Clarence Thomas, the court’s only African-American, supported Monday’s decision but said he would have gone farther and declared Section 5 to be unconstitutional.
At least we’ve got one grown-up on the Court.