Section 4(b) sets forth a formula for determining if a jurisdiction is covered. Petitioner Shelby County, Alabama, a covered jurisdiction, asserts that the preclearance regime exceeds Congress's power to enforce the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and violates the Tenth Amendment and Article IV.

What are the limitations of the Tenth Amendment?

The Tenth Amendment does not impose any specific limitations on the authority of the federal government; though there had been an attempt to do so, Congress defeated a motion to modify the word delegated with expressly in the amendment.

What was the purpose of the preclearance requirement in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 quizlet?

Preclearance was a provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It stated that no new election laws—or changes in existing laws—could go into effect in certain states unless first approved by the Justice Department.