Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, left, and Chief Justice John Roberts | Montana Governor's Office and U.S. Supreme Court's website
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, left, and Chief Justice John Roberts | Montana Governor's Office and U.S. Supreme Court's website
With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to rule this summer on the constitutionality of affirmative action in college admissions, an analysis by Big Sky Times shows that Montana is one of 41 states that currently allow affirmative action.
The first state to ban affirmative action was California, which passed Proposition 209 in 1996. This measure prohibited the consideration of race, gender and ethnicity in public employment, education and contracting, reported Affirmative Action Debate.
In 2020, voters in California rejected a ballot measure that would have reinstated affirmative action in public employment, education and contracting. Voters rejected Proposition 16 by a margin of 57% to 43%, according to a Statewide Summary for Ballot Measure.
Michigan banned affirmative action through a 2006 voter-approved amendment to the state constitution, which prohibited preferential treatment on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, education and contracting, according to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The “yes” vote on the measure was 58%, compared to 42% voting "no."
In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Michigan's ban on affirmative action in higher education admissions in a 6-2 decision, reported SCOTUS Blog.
Which States Ban Affirmative Action?
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