The next Voting Rights Act must outlaw gerrymandering | Jamil Smith
Summary
The article discusses how new voting district maps in Memphis have divided the majority-Black area into parts that favor Republicans, weakening Black political power. It explains that a key part of the Voting Rights Act was weakened by the Supreme Court, making it harder to stop unfair map drawing called gerrymandering. The article calls for Congress to pass a new law banning all kinds of gerrymandering to protect fair voting.Key Facts
- Memphis, Tennessee’s largest majority-Black city, had its congressional district divided into three districts favoring Republicans.
- This division reduces the political power of Black voters despite their high turnout and engagement.
- The original Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped prevent racial vote dilution but has been weakened by recent Supreme Court decisions.
- The Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais reduced protections against maps that dilute Black political power.
- The 2019 Supreme Court decision in Rucho v. Common Cause said federal courts cannot stop partisan gerrymandering.
- Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion in the recent case used selective data that misrepresented Black voter turnout.
- The article urges Democrats to create a new Voting Rights Act that bans both racial and partisan gerrymandering nationwide.
- A new federal ban would apply equally to maps drawn by any political party in any state.
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