preclearance

[pree-kleer-uhns]

noun

1. approval, authorization, or permission granted in advance.

   Under company procedures, certain high-ranking executives are only allowed to sell shares after obtaining preclearance.

2. Transportation.,  customs, security, or immigration authorization granted in advance for passengers or goods traveling or moving across borders (often used attributively).

   The preclearance facility at Terminal 2 allows outbound passengers to undertake all U.S. immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections prior to departure.

3. Law.,  under the U.S. Voting Rights Act, approval from the Justice Department or federal courts for changes to voting laws, processes, or districts (often used attributively).

   In order to prevent changes that have a discriminatory purpose or effect, certain jurisdictions are required to obtain preclearance before implementing new voting practices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of preclearance¹

First recorded in 1925–30; pre- ( def. ) + clearance ( def. )

Example Sentences

Holder, effectively ending preclearance, which required states and localities with histories of discrimination to seek federal approval before changing voting laws.

From Slate

As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned in dissent, ending preclearance was like “throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”

From Slate

Since then, data has shown the law disproportionately impacts Black voters—the same kind of discriminatory effect Brnovich made harder to challenge in court by weakening Section 2, coming from the same kind of law that would have been halted had Section 5 preclearance not been destroyed in Shelby.

From Slate

Now, with Section 5 preclearance gone, the court is moving closer to gutting another critical piece of the VRA, with two lines of attack in play.

From Slate

But it would renew the promise of the VRA, restoring preclearance, stopping voter purges for inactivity, and ensuring people can still seek justice in court.

From Slate