Who can defend voting rights? An appeals court ruling sharply limiting lawsuits looks likely to head to the Supreme Court

The recent court decision about the Voting Rights Act could be a setback for people's right to vote. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

A federal appeals court in Arkansas ruled on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, that only the federal government – not private citizens or civil rights groups – could sue to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

This decision will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court – but if it stands, it could gut individual people’s and civil rights groups’ legal right to fight racial discrimination in voting.