Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute on Voting Rights

Abstract

The Constitution leaves the regulation of about voting procedures to individual states, but also recognizes that individuals have rights to equal representation without discrimination. The tensions between these two principles have arisen several times in recent constitutional controversies, especially regarding the continued constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Husted addresses the state of Ohio’s decision to purge voter rolls of infrequent voters. Is this a legitimate regulation or a veiled attempt to disenfranchise minority citizens? The 5-4 decision in Husted raises further barriers to citizen claims that voting rights have been violated.