preclearance

American  

[pree-kleer-uhns] / ˈpriˈklɪər əns /

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of preclearance

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

Example Sentences

And it included dicta — a nonbinding observation that can be cited as a “persuasive authority” in future litigation — that planted the seeds for preclearance’s demise.

From Salon

An empirical analysis of black voter participation since the decision by economist Kyle Raze found that “the removal of preclearance requirements did not significantly reduce the relative turnout or registration of eligible Black voters. If anything, Black turnout may have increased relative to white turnout in covered jurisdictions after Shelby.”

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From Slate

As the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned in her dissent: Throwing out preclearance “is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”

From Slate

That practice, known as preclearance, was effectively ended by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.

From Seattle Times