Shelby County v. Holder Strikes Down VRA Preclearance Formula

The Supreme Court struck down Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act in a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, invalidating the formula that determined which states needed federal approval before changing election laws. The majority held the 40-year-old coverage formula no longer reflected current conditions. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented, joined by Justices Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan. Within hours, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that a previously-blocked voter ID law would take effect immediately.