Voting Rights Act

American  

[voh-ting rahyts akt] / ˈvoʊ tɪŋ ˈraɪts ˌækt /

noun

U.S. Government.

1. a law enacted in 1965 that prohibited racially discriminatory voting practices, such as poll taxes and literacy tests, appointed federal examiners to facilitate voter registration among members of minority groups, and established federal oversight over election administration. VRA

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Example Sentences

The violence helped galvanize public support for passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

Roemer before the Supreme Court, a case that successfully argued that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act also applies to judicial elections.

From Slate • May 7, 2026

And in California, that uncertainty extends to districts drawn under the state Voting Rights Act, which extends protections for minority voters beyond the federal law, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Amending the Voting Rights Act will require 60 Senate votes, but the bipartisan case for a narrow, principled fix is stronger than Washington assumes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

After more than four months of debate, both the House of Representatives and the Senate voted by overwhelming margins to approve the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman