Impact of 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling on Voting Rights Enforcement

A panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a key way of enforcing the federal Voting Rights Act in seven Midwestern states by ruling that Section 2 cannot be enforced by private parties under a separate federal statute. This decision impacts the ability of individuals and groups to challenge redistricting plans that may limit voting rights for communities of color.