Ruling Dismisses Protections for Minority Voting Power; Plaintiffs Vow to Appeal
In a major judicial decision, a New York state judge has declared the 2022 New York Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, striking down a law intended to empower minority groups in voting matters. The ruling by Orange County Justice Maria Vazquez-Doles dismissed protections the law provided for minority voters, arguing these measures violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
Challenge to At-Large Elections in Newburgh Dismissed
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by six Black and Hispanic residents of the Town of Newburgh, who argued that the town’s at-large election system effectively suppressed minority voting power by enabling a predominantly white electorate to control board member selection. The plaintiffs sought district-based elections as a solution. However, Vazquez-Doles dismissed their case, citing the unconstitutionality of the voting law under which it was filed.
Legal Basis: Equal Protection Clause Cited
The judge’s decision drew parallels to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, which similarly invoked the equal protection clause to strike down race-based considerations. According to Vazquez-Doles, while the government can act to remedy past racial discrimination under the equal protection clause, the New York law did not mandate that plaintiffs demonstrate historical discrimination to bring a case.
“The law could hypothetically allow any racial group to sue over alleged voting power dilution,” she wrote, adding that “no compelling interest exists in protecting voting rights of a group that has historically not faced discrimination.”
The New York Voting Rights Act and National Implications
New York’s Voting Rights Act was one of the country’s most progressive pieces of voting legislation, passed amid rising concerns over voting restrictions in several states and Congress’s failure to pass federal voting rights protections. The law provided avenues for voters to challenge election systems that diluted minority voting power, especially in cases of racially polarized voting.
State Senator Zellnor Myrie, a sponsor of the bill, expressed disappointment in the ruling and said he expects an appeal to overturn it. “When New York enacted the strongest voting rights law in the country, we knew there would be challenges,” Myrie stated. “I disagree with the court’s legal reasoning and expect this decision will be overturned on appeal.”
Plaintiffs Vow to Appeal
David Imamura, attorney for the plaintiffs, announced plans to appeal, asserting confidence in the constitutionality of New York’s Voting Rights Act. The case joins a series of legal challenges that could potentially shape the national landscape around voter protections for minority groups.
The decision has spurred fresh debate around the balance between equal protection and legislative efforts to counteract racial inequities in the electoral system, leaving the future of New York’s voting law uncertain as it heads toward the appeals court.
