NY High Court Nixes Effort to Invalidate State Voting Rights Law

New York’s highest court on Thursday shot down the town of Newburgh’s attempt to claim the state’s law banning voter dilution is unconstitutional.

The Court of Appeals, affirming an appellate court order, concluded the town as a government entity has no right to bring a facial constitutional challenge seeking to invalidate the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act in its entirety. The decision allows a group of Newburgh residents to move forward with their lawsuit claiming the town’s at-large election system for the town board violates the law because it dilutes the voting power of Black and Hispanic residents. ...