Elections & terms
Voting Rights Act
The 1965 law banning racial discrimination in voting. Section 2 forbids practices that deny or dilute the vote; Section 5 preclearance is dormant after 2013.
In full
The Act attacked literacy tests and similar devices and required certain jurisdictions to get federal approval before changing voting rules. Shelby County v. Holder (2013) struck down the coverage formula that determined which jurisdictions were covered, leaving preclearance without effect unless Congress writes a new formula. Section 2 litigation continues and remains the main federal tool.
Also written as: VRA, preclearance
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.