Supreme Court retains Voting Rights Act provision

In a ruling that will allow Monterey County to maintain its preclearance status to protect minority voters, the Supreme Court today didn't address the constitutionality of Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

While ruling in favor of a Texas municipal utility district, justices said it wasn't time to pass judgment on Section 5, which requires jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination to get preclearance from the Department of Justice before moving polling places or drawing voter districts.