Advisory Opinions Gutting the Voting Rights Act | Interview: Judge Roy K. Altman
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Apr 30, 2026 
Judge Roy K. Altman, a federal judge and author of Israel on Trial, applies courtroom legal method to contentious questions about Israel and legal history. He rebuts claims about occupation and colonialism using evidence and law. He also explains why jury trials matter and shares moving stories about jury service.
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Thomas and Gorsuch Argue Section Two Should Exclude Redistricting
- Justices Thomas and Gorsuch would have gone further and said Section 2 doesn't apply to districting at all, limiting VRA challenges to ballot-access measures.
- Their concurrence argues district lines are not "qualifications, prerequisites, or standard practices" covered by Section 2.
Ruling Risks Leaving Racially Polarized States Without Remedies
- The practical effect of the ruling may make racial-gerrymandering claims much harder where race and partisanship are closely correlated.
- David French warns in Deep South jurisdictions partisan proxies for race mean only explicit evidence of racial motives will prevail.
Avoid Recording Race As A Mapping Criterion
- Mapmakers should avoid using race explicitly in mapping records because any documented racial use can trigger strict scrutiny under the new interpretation.
- Sarah Isgur notes modern mapping is done with sophisticated software that records selection criteria, so caution is necessary.
