Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.

A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if 5 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 15 years, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself.

A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if, in the previous 15 years (1) 3 or more voting rights violations occurred there, or (2) 1 or more voting rights violations occurred there and the subdivision had minority voter turnout below certain thresholds.

A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a voting practice to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from preclearance.

The bill expands the circumstances under which (1) a court may retain the authority to preclear voting changes made by a state or political subdivision, or (2) DOJ may assign election observers.

States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices.

The bill revises the circumstances under which a court must grant preliminary injunctive relief in a challenge to voting practices.