Newspaper Editorial Boards in States Covered by Section 5 of the VRA Overwhelmingly Agree that the Supreme Court Should Uphold the Law

Media 03.4,13

Washington — A review of newspaper editorials in states covered in whole or part by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act found an overwhelming consensus that the Supreme Court should uphold the law as constitutional in the case Shelby County v. Holder.

The review, conducted by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, encompassed the editorial pages of newspapers in the states and jurisdictions covered by Section 5 using data from Lexis Nexis, Google News, and individual newspaper websites. 

Of 48 opinion pieces published in 2013, 36 favored Section 5 being upheld, eight opposed, and four did not favor either side. 

Newspapers supporting Section 5 include the largest outlets within these jurisdictions, such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Anchorage Daily News, Birmingham News, The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Tampa Bay Times, and the Sacramento Bee.

 “This is even more evidence that Section 5 protects voting rights in the states and localities that need it most,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference. “With such an overwhelming consensus of opinion in these jurisdictions, it’s clear that Section 5 is viewed as the right remedy for voting discrimination in the right places.”

A full list of opinion pieces included in the review is below. 

The review includes only those newspapers that weighed in during the period surrounding oral arguments; newspapers that did not editorialize on the topic have been excluded. The Washington Post, Washington Times, The New York Times, and Wall Street Journal, which all serve national audiences as well as covered jurisdictions, were excluded from this scan.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

California, Kings County

California, Monterey County

California, Yuba County

Florida, Hillsborough County

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

North Carolina

New Hampshire

South Carolina

South Dakota

Texas

Virginia

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.