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

His advocacy work also paved the way for the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

From Barron's • Jan. 19, 2026

Congress has subsequently recognized disparate-impact theory in a handful of additional statutes, such as Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and portions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

In 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act — the subtitle of which, Keyssar points out, is “an act to enforce the fifteenth amendment.”

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

She argued in defense of the Voting Rights Act during Callais arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

From Slate • Oct. 18, 2025

It would be nearly fifty years before their rights were fully protected by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler