"Voting Rights Act Faces Crucial Test in Redistricting Battles and Minority Voter Access"
A federal lawsuit in Texas is challenging the interpretation of the Voting Rights Act regarding the creation of minority coalition districts. Civil rights groups argue that Black and Hispanic voters in Galveston County should be combined to form a protected majority-minority district. The county had eliminated a seat that represented these combined minority groups, leading to the lawsuit. A district judge ruled against the county's redistricting map, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision but questioned the precedent. The full court allowed Galveston to use the contested map while the case is being settled, a decision the Supreme Court has not interfered with. The case could potentially resolve the issue of whether coalition districts are permissible under the Voting Rights Act, which was originally enacted to prevent discrimination against Black voters by ensuring the creation of majority-minority districts.