The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Thursday that Alabama violated a ban on racial gerrymandering. The decision comes as a surprise to court watchers who expected the court to gut the Voting Rights Act. Chief Justice John Roberts, who often rules against voting rights, wrote the majority opinion. The decision comes as a surprise to many court watchers, who expected the Supreme Court to gut the Voting Rights Act entirely. Roberts, who is often viewed as the most moderate justice appointed by a Republican president, has historically chipped away at voting protections previously enshrined by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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Persons: John Roberts, —, Brett Kavanaugh, Alabama hasn't, Roberts, Kavanaugh —, Donald Trump —, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson Organizations: Service, Alabama, Black voters, Republican Locations: Alabama