8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Rules Private Individuals Cannot Sue Under Voting Rights Act, Dealing Major Blow to Voting Rights Organizations

In a major blow to voting rights organizations, a panel of conservative judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that private individuals or groups cannot bring suit under the Voting Rights Act. This decision would take away the main avenue used to enforce Section 2 of the landmark civil rights law, which is one of the last tools with which to protect voting rights.

The decision in the case of Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment was divided, with two of the judges on the panel appointed by Donald Trump and George W. Bush ruling that individuals can no longer bring lawsuits under the VRA. This ruling would severely curtail the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act, which has been a cornerstone of civil rights since 1965.

The decision has been met with criticism from voting rights organizations, who argue that the VRA is an important tool for protecting the rights of minority voters. They also point out that with Republicans firmly opposed to the Voting Rights Act, the law would be moribund when they controlled state governments or the Department of Justice.

The decision has been seen as a major setback for voting rights organizations, who have relied on the VRA to protect the rights of minority voters. It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the ability of these organizations to protect the rights of voters in the future.