While the 1965 law was adopted in response to discriminatory practices in southern states, it has affected states and localities nationwide.

Several of the court’s conservatives appeared hostile to the traditional understanding of the civil rights law.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Oct.15 in a blockbuster case over whether states can consider race in redistricting. The battle over Louisiana’s congressional map has brought the court to the verge of curtailing a central provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that has forced states to draw majority-minority districts.

The real life application of the Voting Rights Act can be complicated and messy, Stephanie Grace writes, but the landmark 1965 law -- now facing a major challenge from Louisiana -- remains a bulwark against cynical efforts to diminish the voices of those who've been historically left out.

Democratic leaders fear that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn or strike down a key part of civil rights era legislation, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a move that could give Republicans the power to redraw around 19 House seats in their favor.

(THE CONVERSATION) On Oct. 15, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in one of the most anticipated cases of the 2025-2026 term, Louisiana v. Callais, with major implications for the Voting Rights Act, racial representation and Democratic Party power in congress.