The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited racial discrimination in voting and required some jurisdictions to obtain federal approval before changing election rules.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the act on August 6, 1965, after televised violence against voting-rights marchers in Selma, Alabama, drew national attention. The law targeted literacy tests and other devices used to disenfranchise Black voters. It also authorized federal examiners and strengthened federal enforcement of voting rights.
Section 5 created a preclearance system for jurisdictions with histories of discriminatory voting practices. Before changing election laws, covered jurisdictions had to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal court.
In Shelby County v. Holder, decided in 2013, the Supreme Court invalidated the formula that determined which jurisdictions were covered by preclearance. The act remains a foundational federal voting-rights statute, although later amendments and court decisions have changed how some provisions operate.