"Landmark Voting Rights Act Under Attack: Appeals Court Decision Threatens Citizens' Rights"

A federal appeals court decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit could significantly limit the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, as it upheld a lower court ruling that private citizens and groups cannot bring lawsuits under a provision that forbids discrimination in state and local election laws. The decision, which may be appealed to the Supreme Court, could weaken the tools used by voters of color and voting rights activists to ensure voting access by marginalized groups. If upheld, it would block individuals and private groups from using Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to challenge redistricting decisions and other actions that weaken their voting power. Legal experts criticized the ruling, calling it erroneous and unprecedented, and warned that it could have devastating consequences for the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.