Opening Arguments They’re Going to End the Voting Rights Act. But at Least We Got to Hear KBJ Murder a Guy in Court
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Oct 17, 2025 Voting rights attorney Jenessa Seymour dives into the critical Louisiana v. Callais case, revealing its potential to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and enable racial gerrymandering. She explains how this could impact representation for minorities and discusses the significance of New York's John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act in combating these threats. Additionally, she highlights a troubling pattern in local electoral policies that disenfranchise Hispanic communities, while sharing insights on a Chicago cop's bizarre defense against traffic violations.
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Section 2 Focuses On Effect Over Intent
- Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act targets vote dilution and allows remedies based on effect, not just intent.
- Congress explicitly rejected an intent-only standard when it amended the law after 1980.
Partisan Claims Mask Racial Gerrymanders
- Rucho and political-gerrymandering doctrine let map-drawers claim partisan motives to mask racial effects.
- That legal cover makes proving racial vote dilution far harder in practice.
Incumbent Protection Hides Discriminatory Maps
- Courts now accept incumbency protection as a districting rationale, even if it shields officials from accountability.
- That rationale exacerbates dilution by allowing maps designed to preserve seats rather than fair representation.