Shelby County v. Holder

Shelby County v. Holder challenged the coverage formula used by the Voting Rights Act to determine which jurisdictions needed federal preclearance before changing voting rules. The case did not strike down preclearance itself, but it challenged the map that made preclearance operate.

The Supreme Court invalidated the coverage formula in Section 4(b), holding that Congress relied on outdated data and treated states unequally without sufficient current justification. Without a valid coverage formula, the Section 5 preclearance system stopped operating unless Congress created a new formula.

The decision reshaped voting-rights enforcement. Disputes that once would have been reviewed before rules changed moved into later litigation, placing more pressure on voters, advocacy groups, the Justice Department, and courts to challenge rules after they take effect.