Judge strikes down New York law intended to protect minority groups’ voting power

Associated Press

A judge has struck down a state law that made it easier for New Yorkers to sue over electoral divisions and voting rules that weakened the political voice of minority groups, saying its special protections based on race and ethnicity are unconstitutional. Orange County state court Justice Maria Vazquez-Doles struck down New York’s Voting Rights Act of 2022 on Thursday. She said a portion of the act violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision also dismissed a lawsuit brought by six Black and Hispanic voters against the Town of Newburgh. An attorney for the plaintiffs said they would appeal.