The provision of the historic civil rights law struck down Tuesday has been used to keep voting changes considered to have discriminatory effect from happening.
Supporters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People hold signs outside the U.S. Supreme Court building Tuesday. The court ruled that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which is aimed at protecting minority voters, is unconstitutional.
Getty / Win McNamee
The Department of Justice called the measure discriminatory, saying it would disqualify people from voting, "simply because they failed to pick up or return a voter update form, when there was no valid requirement that they do so."
Via: supremecourt.gov
When the Department of Justice blocked the proposal, the city then tried to move a polling place for the predominantly black neighborhood to outside of the city limits.
Via: supremecourt.gov
The measure, "was initially enacted in 1892 to disenfranchise Black voters," and for that reason, was struck down by a federal court in 1987.
Via: supremecourt.gov
