Appeals court says only government can bring challenges under Voting Rights Act

A federal appeals court on Monday ruled that private parties could not bring challenges to voting district maps under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, reserving that ability for the U.S. government alone. Private parties currently bring most legal challenges to state and federal district lines under the Voting Rights Act. The act prohibits officials from creating election rules that discriminate against individuals based on race. The federal appeals court ruling sets up a possible showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court.

What case is this related to? The appeals court panel upheld a decision by a federal judge in Arkansas last year, saying only the U.S. attorney general could file challenges to voting district lines under the law. The Arkansas chapter of the NAACP and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel had challenged Arkansas’ state voting maps.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s report in WORLD Magazine about an appeals court ruling against a grant program exclusive to black women.