The latest Supreme Court decision regarding voting rights in the South has, in many ways, sent us back 67 years. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed under Lyndon B. Johnson. On April 29, 2026 the Supreme Court ruled that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the section requiring certain states calling for federal preclearance before changing voting laws, was unconstitutional and should be removed. Preclearance refers to the authorization of voting law changes. Section 5 protected the voting rights of African Americans and other people of color by guarding against voter suppression laws and discriminatory redistricting practices. This act is divided into five sections, and the Supreme Court decided against Section 5 of the act which states, “jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to obtain federal approval (“preclearance”: authorization of voting law changes) from the Department of Justice or a federal court before changing voting laws.”
The Voting Rights Act helped ensure proper political representation. Now that the ruling has effectively dismantled Section 5, many Southern states, like Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina, have rushed to eliminate Black-majority districts. Since the Supreme Court ruling no longer requires preclearance from the Department of Justice, Southern states now have the legal ability to redraw districts that heavily impact Black voting representation. I believe this will increase support for right-wing candidates during upcoming midterm elections.
This ruling sends Black Americans, people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community back toward conditions reminiscent of the Civil Rights era. It undermines the work of activists like Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Angela Davis during a time when Jim Crow laws, racism and the destruction of Black communities were widespread. Rolling back protections within the Voting Rights Act feels like a return to a period when Black Americans were excluded from meaningful political power and representation. Run by a white man, who only thought of what was in the best interest of his race and how their culture could get ahead.
With partisan gerrymandering now more visible than ever, this ruling could significantly influence future elections in favor of a conservative Supreme Court. This will likely create outrage in Black and brown communities nationwide that have historically supported Democratic policies and values. The best way to overturn this is through voting itself. Voting gives a voice to the communities that feel unheard and offers hope to working families whose rights are being torn away.
Although California remains a predominantly Democratic state, people here should still be concerned about changes to constitutional protections and voting rights nationwide. History is repeating itself, and we as the people are the only ones that can stop it.
