Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act

E287803

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is a key provision that required certain jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination in voting to obtain federal approval, or “preclearance,” before changing their voting laws or practices.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf provision of federal voting rights law
administeredBy U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
aimsToPrevent backsliding in minority voting rights
implementation of discriminatory voting changes
appliesTo jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination in voting
political subdivisions covered by Section 4(b) coverage formula
states covered by Section 4(b) coverage formula
associatedWith coverage formula in Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act
burdenOfProofOn covered jurisdiction seeking preclearance
constitutionalBasis Enforcement Clause of the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
country United States
designedAs temporary but renewable provision
enactedInContextOf civil rights movement
enforcementBy U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
focusesOn changes in voting practices
changes in voting procedures
changes in voting qualifications
changes in voting standards
influenced subsequent voting rights enforcement strategies
interpretedBy U.S. Supreme Court
keySupremeCourtCase Beer v. United States
Georgia v. United States
Shelby County v. Holder
South Carolina v. Katzenbach
legalEffect suspends implementation of voting changes until precleared
legalMechanism preclearance requirement
legalNature federal statutory requirement
legalStatusAfterShelbyCountyVHolder preclearance coverage formula effectively inoperative
partOf Voting Rights Act of 1965
policyGoal to deter discriminatory voting changes before they take effect
to secure equal access to the ballot
primaryObjective to block discriminatory voting changes before implementation
protects language minorities
racial minorities
purpose to prevent racial discrimination in voting
renewedBy Voting Rights Act amendments and reauthorizations
requires federal preclearance for changes in voting laws or practices
jurisdictions to prove absence of discriminatory purpose or effect
submission of proposed voting changes for review
requiresApprovalFrom U.S. Attorney General
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
reviewedFor retrogression in minority voters' position
scope federal, state, and local voting changes in covered areas
standardOfReview no discriminatory effect
no discriminatory purpose
targets jurisdictions with persistent patterns of voting discrimination
typeOfRemedy prophylactic remedy against discrimination

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

VRA containsProvision Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 linkedProvision Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
subject linked to: Section 4(b)
linked to: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
South Carolina v. Katzenbach upheldProvision Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
linked to: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982 extendsProvision Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
linked to: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1975 affects Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act linkedTo Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 distinctFrom Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
linked to: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act