This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65848749
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Alabama violated voting rights law, Supreme Court rules | Alabama violated voting rights law, Supreme Court rules |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Voters at a polling station in Alabama in 2020 | |
| The US Supreme Court has ruled that an Alabama electoral map violated federal law prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. | The US Supreme Court has ruled that an Alabama electoral map violated federal law prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. |
| The 5-4 decision backed a lower court's ruling that the state's Republican-drawn map had diluted the voting power of black Alabamians. | The 5-4 decision backed a lower court's ruling that the state's Republican-drawn map had diluted the voting power of black Alabamians. |
| The map, outlining the state's seven districts for the US House of Representatives, was approved in 2021. | The map, outlining the state's seven districts for the US House of Representatives, was approved in 2021. |
| The ruling preserves a key element of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. | The ruling preserves a key element of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. |
| Two of court's six conservative justices, John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh, sided in Thursday's opinion with its three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. | Two of court's six conservative justices, John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh, sided in Thursday's opinion with its three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. |
| The ruling means that Alabama will have to redraw its congressional map to include a second majority-black district. | The ruling means that Alabama will have to redraw its congressional map to include a second majority-black district. |
| Although the state's voting-age population is about 27% black, the current congressional map has one majority-black district. | |
| The majority-black district is currently the only Democratic one in the state. The other six are represented by Republicans. | The majority-black district is currently the only Democratic one in the state. The other six are represented by Republicans. |
| When Alabama lawmakers redrew the maps two years ago, civil rights groups accused them of voter discrimination. | When Alabama lawmakers redrew the maps two years ago, civil rights groups accused them of voter discrimination. |
| Federal judges blocked the map in early 2022, ruling that it violated the Voting Rights Act and gave black voters "less opportunity than other Alabamians to elect candidates". | Federal judges blocked the map in early 2022, ruling that it violated the Voting Rights Act and gave black voters "less opportunity than other Alabamians to elect candidates". |
| Alabama Republicans appealed against the lower court's decision. | Alabama Republicans appealed against the lower court's decision. |
| While its justices considered the case, the Supreme Court allowed the existing congressional map to stand for last year's midterm elections. | While its justices considered the case, the Supreme Court allowed the existing congressional map to stand for last year's midterm elections. |
| Thursday's ruling surprised some given that the Supreme Court has chipped away at the Voting Rights Act in two major rulings over the past decade. The civil rights-era law outlawed discriminatory voting practices. | |
| But in a dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas - the second African American to serve on the court - said the Voting Rights Act should not apply to redistricting. | |
| He was joined by three other conservative justices, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. | |
| US Attorney General Merrick Garland welcomed the majority ruling, saying it upheld the principle that voters should be "free from discrimination based on their race". | |
| Congresswoman Terri Sewell, the Alabama Democrat, tweeted that the decision was "amazing" for black voters.on Twitter. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| US Supreme Court | US Supreme Court |
| Alabama | Alabama |
| United States | United States |