Federal Appeals Court Upholds Voting Rights Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court today upheld a major provision of the Voting Rights Act in a case involving Shelby County, Alabama, affirming the need for legislation that helps protect minorities’ right to vote.
“This important ruling recognizes the need to uphold the Voting Rights Act in order to ensure every eligible American citizen can vote, regardless of race or language ability,” said Laughlin McDonald, director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project. “Our cherished right to vote is under a continuous attack in Alabama and across the country, and millions of voters could be blocked from voting in upcoming elections. It is crystal clear that we must have these protections in place so that does not happen.”
The ACLU had intervened in the case, Shelby County v. Holder, on behalf of the Alabama State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and four Shelby County voters.
Today’s ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirms that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act – which protects racial and language minorities’ access to voting – should remain in place. Section 5 requires certain jurisdictions like Shelby County that have a history of discriminatory voting practices to get advance approval from the federal government before changing their election laws. Shelby County attempted to circumvent this requirement by implementing election plans that dilute the minority vote.
To read the court’s opinion, go to: www.aclu.org/voting-rights/shelby-county-alabama-v-holder-opinion-us-cou…
To read more about the case, including the original motion to intervene, go to: www.aclu.org/voting-rights/aclu-moves-intervene-alabama-voting-rights-ac…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court today upheld a major provision of the Voting Rights Act in a case involving Shelby County, Alabama, affirming the need for legislation that helps protect minorities’ right to vote.
“This important ruling recognizes the need to uphold the Voting Rights Act in order to ensure every eligible American citizen can vote, regardless of race or language ability,” said Laughlin McDonald, director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project. “Our cherished right to vote is under a continuous attack in Alabama and across the country, and millions of voters could be blocked from voting in upcoming elections. It is crystal clear that we must have these protections in place so that does not happen.”
The ACLU had intervened in the case, Shelby County v. Holder, on behalf of the Alabama State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and four Shelby County voters.
Today’s ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirms that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act – which protects racial and language minorities’ access to voting – should remain in place. Section 5 requires certain jurisdictions like Shelby County that have a history of discriminatory voting practices to get advance approval from the federal government before changing their election laws. Shelby County attempted to circumvent this requirement by implementing election plans that dilute the minority vote.
To read the court’s opinion, go to: www.aclu.org/voting-rights/shelby-county-alabama-v-holder-opinion-us-cou…
To read more about the case, including the original motion to intervene, go to: www.aclu.org/voting-rights/aclu-moves-intervene-alabama-voting-rights-ac…
Stay Informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The Latest in National Security
-
ACLU Acknowledges Improvements to DOJ Racial Profiling Policy, But Says Far More is Needed
-
ACLU Applauds Court For Allowing Case Challenging FBI’s Wrongful Prosecution of Chinese American Physics Professor To Move Forward
-
Shen v. Simpson
-
Chinese Immigrants Sue Florida Over Unconstitutional and Discriminatory Law Banning Them From Buying Land
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About National Security

The ACLU’s National Security Project is dedicated to ensuring that U.S. national security policies and practices are consistent with the Constitution, civil liberties, and human rights.