Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
Black Politics Now
No Result
View All Result

Judge strikes down New York law intended to protect minority groups’ voting power

Black Politics Now by Black Politics Now
November 10, 2024
in Voter Rights
0
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, voters cast their ballots at the Bronx County Supreme Court in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, voters cast their ballots at the Bronx County Supreme Court in New York. (Photo courtesy of: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Nov 10, 2024 Story by: Editor

You might also like

Federal court to consider return of preclearance oversight to Alabama’s voting map

North Carolina redistricting trial concludes; no ruling expected before August

Abbott calls special legislative session after DOJ warns Texas maps are unconstitutional

A state judge has invalidated a New York law intended to make it easier for residents to sue over electoral divisions and voting practices that might weaken the political representation of minority groups. The ruling, issued by Orange County State Court Justice Maria Vazquez-Doles, found that providing special protections based on race and ethnicity under the law is unconstitutional.

Justice Vazquez-Doles’ decision, delivered on Thursday, also dismissed a lawsuit from six Black and Hispanic voters in Newburgh, New York, who challenged the town’s “at-large” board election system. They argued that the system in the majority-white town limited Black and Hispanic residents’ ability to elect candidates who represented them. The plaintiffs sought to have board members elected by district in Newburgh, which is located around 60 miles north of New York City.

The New York Voting Rights Act of 2022 was created to allow voters to challenge at-large elections that led to racially polarized voting patterns or hindered a racial, ethnic, or language-group community’s chances of electing their representatives.

However, Justice Vazquez-Doles ruled that this part of the Act violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court referenced the same clause when it ruled last year that affirmative action programs in higher education were unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs’ attorney has indicated they plan to appeal the ruling. “We are confident that the New York Voting Rights Act is constitutional, and that on appeal that belief will be vindicated,” attorney David Imamura said.

The lawsuit, filed in March, was one of several brought under New York’s Voting Rights Act. In her ruling, Vazquez-Doles explained that the equal protection clause allows for race-based government actions only if they address a compelling state interest.

While ending discrimination against a racial group might satisfy that requirement, Vazquez-Doles noted that New York’s law did not require proof of past discrimination in challenges to electoral systems. She further suggested that the law could hypothetically allow white voters to request changes to election systems if they felt their voting power had been diluted.

“No compelling interest — as that term has been defined by the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause — exists in protecting the voting rights of any group that has historically never been discriminated against,” Vazquez-Doles wrote.

She also pointed out that the law lacked clear standards on how much dilution of a group’s voting power would constitute a rights violation.

New York was among several Democratic-majority states that enacted voting protections in response to restrictive voting laws in some Republican-led states and failed voting rights legislation in Congress.

“When New York enacted the strongest voting rights law in the country, we knew there would be challenges,” said state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a sponsor of the bill, in a statement on Friday. “I disagree with the court’s legal reasoning and expect this decision will be overturned on appeal.” Source: AP News

Tags: Judge rules against New York voting lawMinority voting protection lawNew York voting law struck downVoting rights New York legal ruling
Share30Tweet19
Black Politics Now

Black Politics Now

Recommended For You

Federal court to consider return of preclearance oversight to Alabama’s voting map

by Black Politics Now
July 11, 2025
0
Jemma Stephenson/Alabama Reflector

A three-judge federal panel will hear arguments on July 29, 2025, to determine whether Alabama should be reinstituted under the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance requirement.

Read moreDetails

North Carolina redistricting trial concludes; no ruling expected before August

by Black Politics Now
July 10, 2025
0
Federal trial set to challenge North Carolina election maps

A federal trial has concluded with no final decision expected before August involving challenges to North Carolina’s congressional and legislative election maps.

Read moreDetails

Abbott calls special legislative session after DOJ warns Texas maps are unconstitutional

by Black Politics Now
July 10, 2025
0
2020 Census Data and 2021 Redistricting Maps. Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state lawmakers back to Austin for a special legislative session beginning Monday, July 21 with redistricting as one of the central issues...

Read moreDetails

Federal court won’t revisit ruling that weakens the Voting Rights Act in 7 states

by Black Politics Now
July 4, 2025
0
North Dakota ruling blocks private suits under Voting Rights Act in 7 states

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has declined to revisit a decision that bars private individuals and groups from suing to enforce Section 2 of the Voting...

Read moreDetails

Tarrant County hires law firm to defend redistricting map

by Black Politics Now
July 8, 2025
0
Tarrant County Commissioners to vote on redistricting plan on Tuesday

Tarrant County commissioners have approved a $250,000 contract with the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) to defend the county's recently adopted redistricting map against a lawsuit alleging racial...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
A boy plays with an abandoned tire at a border encampment near the southeastern Haitian town of Anse-à-Pitres. (Photo: Dave McFadden/AP)

Haitian activists demand halt to deportations as poverty soar

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Related News

FILE – The U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington, captured on March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

NAACP education lawsuit cites Waterloo schools’ withdrawal from UNI Black reading event

April 24, 2025
Image Source: ABC News

Cleo Fields wins re-drawn Louisiana Congressional District

January 13, 2025
Who funds Yvette D Clark

Who funds Yvette D Clark

December 18, 2024
Black Politics Now

Get informed on African American politics with "Black Politics Now," your ultimate source for political engagement.

CATEGORIES

  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Congressional Black Caucus
  • Criminal Justice
  • Data
  • Department of Justice
  • Diversity Initiatives
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Enviroment
  • Equity
  • Hate Crimes
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Investigations
  • Legal Defense Fund
  • NAACP
  • Policy
  • Real Estate
  • Reparations
  • Research
  • Sports
  • State Issues
  • Study
  • Supreme Court
  • Technology
  • Voter Rights
  • World

Quick Link

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of service
  • Contact us

Download Our App

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpChatIcon
wpChatIcon
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
SUBSCRIBE

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Join the Movement, Subscribe Now!(Don't worry, we'll never spam you!)

Don’t miss a beat—get the latest news, inspiring stories, and in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to the Black community. Be part of the conversation and stay connected.

Enter your email address