[EL] before Frank v Walker (Oct 9 2014), when is the last time US Supreme Court reversed a lower court and expanded voting rights?

[Richard Winger]

On Oct 9, 2014, the US Supreme Court reversed the 7th circuit and said the Wisconsin govt photo-ID requirement should not be in effect for the Nov 4, 2014 election.  I am trying to remember the last time the US Supreme Court reversed a lower court and expanded voting rights.  By "voting rights", I mean the ability of individuals to register to vote, or to cast a ballot, or to run for office.  In 1995 the US Supreme Court expanded the list of people who can run for office in US Term Limits v Thornton.  In 1997 in Chandler v Miller the Court struck down a law requiring candidates for state office to get tested for illegal drugs.

Are those the last two times the US Supreme Court reversed a lower court in the direction of more protection for voters or candidates??  What am I forgetting?

I don't think Arizona v Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (2013) counts, because the opinion set forth a road map for Kansas and Arizona to force the federal government to alter the federal voter registration postcard so as to give those two states what they want.  In effect the court punted, and we are still waiting to see the outcome in the 10th circuit.


Richard Winger
415-922-9779
PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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