The Voting Rights Act has, since 1965, required States and Municipalities  in the South of the U.S. to ‘re-clear’ changes in their voting or election standards with the Justice Dept. in DC.

Challenged by a Texas district after a 25-year extension was set 3 years ago, the Act was called ‘unfair and outdated.’

A unanimous ruling preserved the law, though narrowed its effect.

Counties, cities and school districts can now, through courts, ask to ‘bail out’ of the law, grantable only if they had a clean voting record for the last decade.

The decision could also affect some district in California, New York and Arizona, which were brought under the law in the 1970s because of their high percentage of non-english-speaking residents.