Supreme Court Lets Voting Rights Act Enforcement Limits Stand
The justices left in place a ruling that bars private Voting Rights Act suits in seven states, shifting enforcement to the U.S. attorney general.
- The Supreme Court announced Monday it will not review an Arkansas-based lawsuit, leaving in place an 8th Circuit ruling that limits who can sue to enforce the Voting Rights Act in seven Midwestern states.
- Arkansas United challenged a state law banning non-poll workers from assisting more than six voters, but the 8th Circuit Court ruled last year that only the Justice Department, not private groups, may bring such lawsuits.
- Voting Rights Act Section 208 generally allows voters with disabilities or literacy barriers to receive assistance from a person of their choice; the 8th Circuit decision is binding in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
- Critics note that relying solely on the Justice Department could reduce enforcement, as federal priorities shift between administrations, whereas private individuals and groups have historically driven these lawsuits.
- Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned the "private right of action" in 2021, and the court recently declined to review similar cases in Mississippi and North Dakota following an April Louisiana ruling that further weakened the Voting Rights Act.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Supreme Court Lets Stand Ruling That Strips Minority Voter Protections Across Seven States
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a lower court ruling, effectively ending a key legal tool used to protect minority voters in seven states. By refusing to take up an Arkansas-based lawsuit, the justices left in place a 2025 appeals panel decision affecting Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The ruling came from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that private individuals and…
Supreme Court Lets Voting Rights Act Enforcement Limits Stand
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to review an Arkansas voting-rights case, leaving in place an appeals court ruling that limits who can sue to enforce part of the Voting Rights Act in seven states. The case involves Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, which allows voters with disabilities or limited ability to read or write to receive help from a person of their choice. Arkansas United, an immigrant advocacy group, cha…
Supreme Court allows a ruling that ends a tool to protect minority voters in 7 states
The Supreme Court has left in place a ruling that strikes down a key tool for enforcing Voting Rights Act protections for voters with a disability or an inability to read or write in seven states.
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