preclearance

American  

[pree-kleer-uhns] / ˈpriˈklɪər əns /

noun

1. approval, authorization, or permission granted in advance.

   Under company procedures, certain high-ranking executives are only allowed to sell shares after obtaining preclearance.

2. Transportation. customs, security, or immigration authorization granted in advance for passengers or goods traveling or moving across borders (often used attributively).

   The preclearance facility at Terminal 2 allows outbound passengers to undertake all U.S. immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections prior to departure.

3. Law. under the U.S. Voting Rights Act, approval from the Justice Department or federal courts for changes to voting laws, processes, or districts (often used attributively).

   In order to prevent changes that have a discriminatory purpose or effect, certain jurisdictions are required to obtain preclearance before implementing new voting practices.

---

Etymology

Origin of preclearance

First recorded in 1925–30; pre- ( def. ) + clearance ( def. )

Example Sentences

As the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned in her dissent: Throwing out preclearance “is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”

From Slate • Sep. 24, 2024

That practice, known as preclearance, was effectively ended by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

The law required jurisdictions with large disparities in black and white voter registration and participation to get approval from the Department of Justice for any voting procedure changes, or "preclearance."

From Salon • Aug. 6, 2023

But the appeals court ruled that Walker had erred, both on the law and on the facts, and threw out the preclearance requirement.

From Reuters • Apr. 27, 2023

Maryland was not among the states, mostly in the South, that was covered under the provision known as preclearance before the court ended it.

From Washington Times • Feb. 25, 2023