SCOTUS strikes down Voting Rights Act Section 4 formula in Shelby County v. Holder

The Supreme Court rules 5-4 in Shelby County v. Holder (570 U.S. 529, 2013) that Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the formula used to determine which states and localities must get federal preclearance before changing voting laws, is unconstitutional. Chief Justice Roberts writes that it relies on 40-year-old data. The decision effectively disables Section 5 preclearance, freeing Texas, North Carolina, and other states to immediately pass voter ID laws and redistricting plans without DOJ approval.