Please explain the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Voting Rights Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. §§ 1973–1973aa-6) is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting ...

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/1965_voting_rights_act.htm

Background - Legislative history - Provisions - Criticisms
Our Documents - Voting Rights Act (1965)
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=100
Citation: An act to enforce the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States and for other purposes, August 6, 1965; Enrolled Acts and Resolutions ...

Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Department of Justice
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/intro/intro_b.php
The Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 1965 Enactment. By 1965 concerted efforts to break the grip of state disfranchisement had been under way for some time, but ...

I have all these links, I am looking for something in laymans terms to explain exactly what is in these links.,

The clearest explanations, in my opinion, are in the historylearningsite link and in the Wikipedia link.

Let us know what is in either or both of those that you don't understand.

So I understand correctly, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is outlawed discrimatory voting rights towards African Americans. Is that correct? Should there be more?

Here's the essence:

It outlawed literacy tests and poll taxes as a way of assessing whether anyone was fit or unfit to vote. As far as Johnson was concerned, all you needed to vote was American citizenship and the registration of your name on an electoral list. No form of hindrance to this would be tolerated by the law courts.

I'll correct your wording for you:

... the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discrimatory voting rules aimed at any Americans.

Do you see the differences between what you originally wrote and what the law actually did?

IN your wording, you took the word afican off. Why. Wasn't this act geared to the voting right for African American?

It was geared so that NO American citizens over the age of 21 (later changed to 18) could be discriminated against regarding registering to vote or voting itself.

NO American ... not African Americans, not Hispanic Americans, not Chinese Americans, or any other group you want to name. If a person is a citizen, he/she has the right to vote. Period.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to secure and protect the voting rights of all citizens, particularly African Americans who faced significant barriers to voting in the United States. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

To understand the specifics of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it's helpful to look at the historical context. Prior to the enactment of this law, discriminatory practices, such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation tactics, were used to prevent African Americans from voting. These practices disproportionately targeted minority communities and were implemented in many southern states.

The Voting Rights Act sought to address these issues and enforce the constitutional right to vote. It contained several key provisions, including the following:

1. Section 2: This provision prohibits any voting practice or procedure that discriminates against racial or language minority groups. It applies nationwide, allowing individuals to challenge discriminatory voting practices in both federal and state courts.

2. Section 4: This provision established a coverage formula, which identified specific jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting practices. These jurisdictions were subject to additional scrutiny to protect against discriminatory laws and practices. If a jurisdiction was found to have a history of discrimination, it had to seek federal approval, known as "preclearance," before implementing any changes to their voting laws.

3. Section 5: This provision required covered jurisdictions to obtain preclearance from the Department of Justice or the federal district court for any change in voting practices or procedures. This included changes in district boundaries or voting requirements, ensuring that any potential discriminatory measures would be closely examined.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was incredibly effective in combating discriminatory voting practices and increasing voter registration and participation among minority communities. It was renewed several times by Congress, most recently in 2006.

However, in 2013, the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder invalidated the coverage formula in Section 4, effectively rendering Section 5 unenforceable. The court argued that the formula was outdated and no longer reflected current voting patterns. As a result, the preclearance requirement was suspended, allowing some jurisdictions to enact changes to voting laws without federal oversight.

Despite this setback, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 remains an essential piece of legislation in the fight for equal voting rights. Efforts continue to strengthen and restore its provisions to ensure equal access to the ballot for all citizens.