The Supreme Court on Tuesday invalidated a key part of the Voting Rights Act that required certain states to obtain federal approval before changing election laws.

The 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder ended the preclearance formula that had been in place since 1965. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the formula was outdated and no longer reflected current conditions. The ruling immediately freed states including Alabama, Georgia and Texas from the requirement.

The cartoon depicts a central figure labeled the South standing in water with arms outstretched. The figure declares that the Supreme Court has washed away its racism. Other figures stand in the background, some appearing to react to the scene.

The image uses baptism imagery to illustrate arguments that the decision would allow discriminatory practices to resume without oversight. Critics said the ruling ignored ongoing barriers to voting in affected states. Supporters argued that the formula no longer matched modern demographics and voting patterns.

The decision shifted enforcement of the Voting Rights Act to after-the-fact lawsuits rather than preventive review. Congress has not passed new legislation to restore a preclearance formula since the ruling.