Eric Holder Statement on Federal Court Ordering Alabama to Maintain a Voting Rights Act-Compliant Congressional Map

Today, Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States, issued the following statement on an Alabama trial court’s decision in Caster v. Allen, reaffirming that under the Voting Rights Act (VRA), Alabama must have two Black opportunity districts:

“This is a good day for democracy. The generations of Black Alabamians who fought to achieve equal representation had their sacrifice and commitment recognized today. Because of their tenacity and hard work, Black Alabamians will continue to vote on a fair congressional map that gives them their legally mandated voting power and allows them to elect a candidate of their choice in two districts.

“The relentless efforts of some in Alabama to deny black state citizens the rights they deserve and force them to vote on a racially discriminatory map are truly shameful—but their failure is also instructive. The court has made clear that the anti-democracy forces attempting to reverse new, more fair Voting Rights Act-compliant maps in other states will not succeed in taking this nation backwards.”

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