ATLANTA - Georgia Democratic Party Interim Chairwoman Nikema Williams reacted with both outrage and disgust over Tuesday's U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965.
"It is unfathomable to me that our High Court would disenfranchise so many citizens," Williams said. "With a stroke of a pen, the Court has essentially invalidated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act."
Williams pointed out that while the Court addressed Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the ruling makes Section 5 invalid and requires the US Congress to re-examine the VRA.
The Supreme Court struck down a central portion of the Voting Rights Act on Tuesday, effectively ending the practice in which some states with a history of racial discrimination must receive clearance from the federal government before changing voting laws.The vote was 5 to 4. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the decision. (See separate story.)
"Georgia and other states that have had historically discriminatory voting maps and patterns will no longer be required to pre-clear their maps through the Justice Department. Instead of showing the potential impact of discrimination on voters, this change will apply to after-the-fact discrimination. It places the burden of proof on ordinary citizens - those who can least afford lawyers," said Williams.
Williams said this current ruling continues a pattern of the Justice Roberts' Court of protecting big business and big government. She pointed to rulings in the cases of University of Texas admissions and a recent ruling that removes the burden of companies for their supervising employees' actions.
"The Republican Majority in Georgia drew maps in 2012 that reduced Democratic voting performance. Georgia is nearly 50 percent Democratic and they diminished our voting strength to 32 percent through gerrymandered maps. However, today's Supreme Court ruling may backfire when Democrats across the state rally. Enough is enough," said Williams.
Monday
July 7th, 2025
8:28PM
