Abstract:
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike-down the Voting Rights Act of 1965 gives the state more freedom in dictating its voting legislation. The court's decision now no longer requires Federal approval if North Carolina, or fifteen other southern states, want to change legislation governing voter identification requirements or redistricting measures. Opponents to the court's ruling believe without protections from the Voting Rights Act, discrimination against minority voting rights will go unchecked.