Introduction To Federal Voting Rights Laws
The Effect of the Voting Rights Act
Soon after passage of the Voting Rights Act, federal examiners were conducting voter
registration, and black voter registration began a sharp increase. The cumulative effect of
the Supreme Court's decisions, Congress' enactment of voting rights legislation, and the
ongoing efforts of concerned private citizens and the Department of Justice, has been to
restore the right to vote guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments. The Voting Rights
Act itself has been called the single most effective piece of civil rights legislation ever
passed by Congress.
Last Revised - June 19, 2009
Updated July 25, 2008
