The next Voting Rights Act must outlaw gerrymandering
The supreme court has gutted one of the strongest federal tools we had against the most effective weapon in US politics
TL;DR
- Gerrymandering manipulates electoral maps to decide the power of voting blocs before elections.
- Tennessee's majority-Black district in Memphis was divided into three Republican-leaning seats.
- The Supreme Court's ruling in *Louisiana v Callais* weakened the Voting Rights Act, reducing protection against maps that dilute Black political power.
- The ruling uses partisan gerrymandering as an excuse, making it difficult to challenge racial vote dilution.
- A new Voting Rights Act is needed to establish a federal ban on gerrymandering for all congressional districts.
- This reform requires giving up preferred gerrymanders and trusting voters and candidates over mapmakers.
- The article stresses the need for proactive prevention of voter suppression, not just punishment after the fact.
- A new movement is required to pass a comprehensive Voting Rights Act that addresses gerrymandering and restores preclearance.