Explore the question, the ruling, and who voted how. These are selected decisions as issued, not a complete voting record or a statement of personal beliefs.
2 decisions
2013 · Constitutional law
Shelby County v. Holder
5–4
Voting rights · Federalism
The question
Could the Voting Rights Act’s existing coverage formula still determine which jurisdictions needed federal preclearance?
The outcome
The Court invalidated Section 4(b)’s coverage formula. It did not invalidate Section 2 or decide the validity of Section 5 itself; without a valid coverage formula, Section 5 could not operate on its previous basis.
Was Alabama’s congressional map likely to dilute Black voters’ electoral power in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act?
The outcome
The Court affirmed the preliminary-injunction ruling against Alabama’s map, applying the established vote-dilution framework under Section 2. The decision concerned the specific record and did not require proportional representation nationwide.
