254
Thomas, J., dissenting
spoken on the subject before us"). In my opinion, the Republican Party of Virginia is not a "State or political subdivision" within the meaning of § 5, and that statute is therefore not triggered in this case.
1
The Voting Rights Act provides no definition of the term "State." When words in a statute are not otherwise defined, it is fundamental that they "will be interpreted as taking their ordinary, contemporary, common meaning." Perrin v. United States, 444 U. S. 37, 42 (1979). The ordinary meaning of the word "State" does not encompass a partisan group such as the Republican Party of Virginia. Rather, that word—particularly when capitalized—is generally understood to mean one of the 50 constituent States of the Union. See Webster's New International Dictionary 2461 (2d ed. 1957) (defining "State" as "any body of people occupying a definite territory and politically organized under one government, esp. one that is a sovereign, or not subject to external control; . . . Cf. commonwealth"). Indeed, it nearly belabors the point to explain that, in common par-lance, "State" normally refers to a geographical unit of the United States, such as California or Massachusetts. Our own opinions in § 5 cases use the word in this natural fashion. See, e. g., United States v. Sheffield Bd. of Comm'rs, supra, at 113 (§ 5 "requires that States, like Alabama," preclear new voting rules) (emphasis added); Hadnott v. Amos, 394 U. S. 358, 365-366 (1969) (§ 5 "provides that whenever States like Alabama seek to administer" voting changes, they must preclear) (emphasis added). Even Justice Stevens employs "State" in its usual sense. See ante, at 193 ("Virginia is one of the seven States to which the § 4 coverage formula was found applicable . . . . The entire Commonwealth has been subject to the preclearance obligation of § 5 ever since") (emphasis added).
That the statutory term "State" should be applied in light of its ordinary meaning is reinforced by the Act's definition
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