A Requiem for the Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court's 2026 decision in Louisiana v. Callais significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act by restricting the use of race in congressional redistricting, effectively ending decades of federal protections against racial discrimination in voting. The ruling allows gerrymandering that disproportionately affects Black voters, as long as it is framed as partisan rather than racially motivated. Though the Voting Rights Act remains nominally intact, its practical power to ensure equal ballot access has been dismantled.
- ▪The Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that race can only be considered in redistricting if present-day intentional racial discrimination is proven.
- ▪The decision builds on a 2022 case, Robinson v. Landry, where Louisiana's congressional map was challenged for diluting Black voting power.
- ▪Black voters and civil rights groups defended a Republican-drawn map that created a second Black-majority district, which was then challenged by non-Black voters for allegedly using race unlawfully.
- ▪The Court's conservative majority has progressively limited the Voting Rights Act since 2013, culminating in the 2026 ruling.
- ▪For most of U.S. history, Southern states have sought to minimize Black political influence, and the ruling now provides legal cover for such efforts.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
IdeasA Requiem for the Voting Rights ActAmerica’s brief era of protecting universal suffrage is over.By Vann R. Newkirk IIIllustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group / Getty; US Supreme Court; Getty.May 2, 2026, 7 AM ET ShareSave The best things shine bright, but never long. So it was for the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 legislation that protected Black suffrage by neutralizing voter suppression in southern states, and became the foundation for equal ballot access for all Americans. Of the 250 years since the country’s founding, less than a quarter unfolded under the aegis of universal suffrage. Color television, credit cards, and Barbie dolls arrived earlier than the VRA and will survive longer.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Atlantic
