When President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, he said, “You must register. You must vote. You must learn, so you must vote. You must learn, so your choice advances your interest and the interest of our beloved Nation.”

His words remind us that a democracy depends on the fact that all citi7zens have the right to vote, a statement which is still true today. However, voting has not always been a right in our society. Despite the 15th Amendment passing in 1870, it unfortunately didn’t guarantee fair voting for all. States still found ways around the amendment, creating complex and biased obstacles, including literacy tests, intimidation, violence, or poll taxes designed for minority groups to fail. The rise of the Civil Rights Movement (1954-68) challenged these practices. Later, the establishment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 transformed voting rights for generations. The Voting Rights Act marked a turning point in the fight for equality, especially in government action.

When the Voting Rights Act was enacted, its purpose was to uphold the 15th Amendment’s guarantee by dismantling and disassembling Jim Crow laws, and racist policies which were more prominent in the South. The 15th Amendment states that voting should not be denied because of race, or racial background. The Voting Rights Act not only outlawed biased tactics, but gave the federal government power to intervene when states violated voting rights. It also introduced federal oversight in states with histories of racial discrimination and increased voter registration and minority representation. As history repeats itself, new court cases and political debates raise the question of “If the Voting Rights Act is still necessary in today’s society?”

On April 29, 2026, the case of Louisiana v. Callais was decided in the U.S. Supreme Court. The court in a vote of 6-3 ruled that states are no longer required to create majority-minority districts unless said minority group can prove that the legislators intended to discriminate. Evidence of intentional discrimination has to be a verbal admittance of the alleged discrimination from the accused. After this ruling, similar cases began to follow questioning Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The case Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe is set to be tried before the court later this year in November. That case discusses whether citizens and civil rights groups have grounds to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. These cases beg the question: What is our government’s plan for the future of the Voting Rights Act?

It is important to remember that the Voting Rights Act is a crucial part of ensuring racial equality. Our Constitution states that all citizens have an equal right to vote, regardless of race, religion or sexuality, and if we revoke the laws that support these basic rights, we’re betraying our nation’s original values. It is the government’s duty to ensure that everybody receives an equal opportunity to vote, and hindering this ability is unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court decision overturning parts of the Voting Rights Act will impact the future of voting in American society. The changes in the Voting Rights Act make guaranteeing protection of voter safety uncertain. With these protection policies weakened, communities of color, and minorities may face challenges for fair representation, and voting equity rights.

As this law continues to be processed we need to share our voices, though many have lost theirs. We have intended to fix this specific problem over the decades, though we run into the few who are still discriminatory towards those who are of different races. In order to keep the American mantra “All men are created equal” we need to ensure that everyone is treated equally.

By Iyla Robinson, Emelia Stevenseon & Amelie Egan