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March 10, 2009

Supreme Court Limits the Reach of Voting Rights Act
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In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court has refused to expand the protections
for minorities under the federal voting rights law, a decision that may
affect the redrawing of legislative boundaries after the 2010 Census.
The court’s conservative majority ruled only electoral districts with
majority of blacks or other minorities are to be protected by a
provision of the Voting Rights Act. Civil rights groups said the ruling
could result in more districts with minorities constituting less than
half the population, diluting their voting strength.



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