South Carolina v. Katzenbach
United States Supreme Court
383 U.S. 301 (1966)
South Carolina (plaintiff) sought a declaratory judgment that certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — including the abolition of literacy tests, a requirement of advance federal approval (preclearance) before certain states could change voting regulations, and authorization for the Attorney General to appoint federal examiners overseeing voter registration — exceeded Congress's legislative authority and violated constitutional provisions protecting state powers.
Whether the Voting Rights Act of 1965's provisions abolishing literacy tests, requiring advance federal approval of voting-regulation changes, and authorizing federal examiners to oversee voter registration violate the Constitution or exceed the scope of congressional authority.