WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court will consider eliminating the government's most potent weapon against racial discrimination at polling places since the 1960s.

The court acted three days after a diverse coalition of voters propelled President Barack Obama to a second term in the White House.

With a look at affirmative action in higher education already on the agenda, the court is putting a spotlight on race by re-examining the ongoing necessity of divil rights laws and programs.

In an order Friday, the justices agreed to hear a constitutional challenge to part of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. That part requires all or parts of 16 states with a history of discrimination in voting, including Texas, to get federal approval before making any changes in the way they hold elections.