A Surprise Decision

 A SURPRISE DECISION

The current US Supreme Court is noted more for restricting rights (think of abortion, voting procedures, affirmative action) than for upholding them. But in a 5-4 surprise decision on 6/8/23 it gave new life to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by ruling in Allen v Milligan that the State of Alabama had been discriminatory against Black voters when it drew a map of US House of Representatives districts almost guaranteed to produce only one Black representative out of 7 in a state where the Black voting population is 26% of the total. One out of 7 is 14%, 2 out of 7 is 28%, close to the 26% figure. So now Alabama will have to

redraw its Congressional map to make it likely that two Black representatives will be elected.

The Voting rights Act of 1965 was crucial in increasing Black representation in the 11 former Confederate states. When it was enacted the 11 former Confederate states had a total of 3 Black legislators. Today there are roughly 300. The decision in Allen v Milligan is also expected to affect Congressional apportionment in Louisiana, Georgia and Texas, resulting in more Black representatives in Congress. 

Sources: The New York Times, 6/8 and 6/9/23