A person walking outside of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 22.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared to favor Republican-backed voting restrictions in Arizona that Democrats argue violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: The Justices' decision in the case could weaken Section 2 of the VRA, which prohibits voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race.
Context: The case, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, questions whether two Arizona voting laws violate that section of the VRA.
- One allows ballots that were cast in the wrong precinct to be thrown out, and the other prohibits anyone other than a family member from delivering a voter's absentee ballot.
The big picture: The state of Arizona and Republicans support the laws, arguing they are meant to prevent fraud, according to NBC News.
- Democrats on the other hand believe the laws should be overturn because they believe they prevent voters, particularly minorities, from voting.