The Supreme Court in April 2026 significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This decision, made with 6 justices in favor of it and 3 against, is harmful and is detrimental to the democratic process. The Voting Rights Act was originally made to protect non-white voters from voter discrimination. The act was put into motion to protect the 15th amendment and ensured that no literacy tests or poll tax that was enforced either locally or state wise on racial identities that would prevent them from voting. It was an historic act, conserving the voting power of marginalized communities.
Unfortunately, over the years the Supreme Court has eroded the constitutional power of the Voting Rights Act, as exemplified by the 2013 (Shelby County vs. Holder) ruling, the 2021 (Brnovich v. DNC), and 2023 (Allen v. Milligan) ruling, and now most recently the 2026 (Louisiana v. Callias) ruling. These various rulings fundamentally undermine and cheapen a very important act that preserves the fundamental right to vote. In the upcoming years this may be an uphill battle for a proper, multiracial democracy
The Supreme Court majority ruling argued that racism in voting is no more, but this is untrue, voter discrimination still occurs today. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, there were at least 32 restrictive voting laws in 2025. In Texas, a drawn congressional map from 2025 that commits racial gerrymandering (remaking the voting map for political gain) now has the legal go-ahead from the Supreme Ruling to enact it. In 2026, several states are making new congressional maps for the 2026 midterms and many of those states will dampen the power of minority voters.
The guardrail concerning voting has been damaged, and there will not be the same reassurance to groups that have historically had their vote suppressed that it will never happen again. The Supreme Court is following the similar trend across America’s history of empowering the white voter, and disregarding the rest, especially in regards to black voters. The disenfranchisement waged against minority voters continues today in the form of gerrymandering and racist redistricting that will slice up communities and large groups so they will have no political power compared to their white counterparts. The fight for equal voting power for all is ever going, and this setback caused by the Supreme is frustrating. This shows a lack of regard for proper progressiveness in today’s political climate, which is disappointing.
Although disheartening, the ruling is not surprising considering their past decisions. The fact that the country is not going forward to protect all its citizens but rather actively backwards is frustrating. Every American should not have to worry about their skin color or their community having an impact on their vote, and the Supreme Court’s repeated actions to undermine that fact is mind-boggling.
While some states are jumping at the gun to change up their map, what we can do in Colorado is call and ask our representatives to not gerrymander our state, and to protest and fight against it if it does occur. While the Supreme Court is enabling setbacks, like many times before, the fight for equality can not be gutted and will still continue on.
