CLBC blasts U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down Section 4 protections of nation’s landmark Voting Rights Act

SACRAMENTO – June 25, 2013 – The nine-member California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) today harshly criticized the United States Supreme Court for its decision to strike down Section 4 of the historic Voting Rights Act on 1965.

CLBC Chair and Assembly member Holly J. Mitchell said, “Today, the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court have declared with their ruling on Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act that state practices that could serve to deny minority citizens their lawful right to vote do not need to be scrutinized in advance of their implementation.

It’s a sad day in America. The door to nefarious and biased voting requirements, such as the use of driver’s licenses as mandatory voting ID cards, has been swung wide open. The curtain to America’s voting booths has been pulled shut in face of potentially hundreds of thousands of lawful African American voters across our nation who might now be fully denied their lawful right to vote through the application of invidious state-sponsored and legally sanctioned discriminatory voting practices.”

Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act was an important provision that prohibited discrimination in voting and required states covered under the Act to obtain U.S. Justice Department “preclearance” before implementing any changes with respect to a U.S. citizens’ right to vote.

“The members of the CLBC call upon Congress to right this grievous wrong handed down by our highest court in our land,” Assembly member Mitchell said.

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For more information on the CLBC and the CLBC’s ‘Agenda 2020’ policy initiatives, please go to blackcaucus.legislature.ca.gov.