On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that two Arizona voting restrictions did not violate the Voting Rights Act, the landmark legislation that bans racially discriminatory voting rules. The 6-3 decision was made along ideological lines, with the court’s conservative members comprising the majority and the liberal justices in dissent. Their ruling upholds two voting laws […]
Today Marks the 55th Anniversary of the Landmark Voting Rights Act
August 6th marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). This momentous piece of legislation worked to ensure Black Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote by combating voter suppression tactics. “I have said this before, and I will say it again – the vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It […]
Democrats’ First Legislative Priority is Voting Rights Reform
Democrats announced this week that their first legislative vote will be a sweeping voting reform act, H.R. 1, that Democrats believe will increase public trust in the government and strengthen democratic institutions. The legislation aims to reform redistricting, create automatic voter registration, revive the Voting Rights Act, overturn the Citizen’s United ruling, and expand the […]
Texas Placed Under Federal Supervision, Tries to Reinstate Draconian Voter ID Law
On Friday, Texas’ Attorney General filed a petition requesting that the United States Supreme Court reinstate the state’s draconian voter ID law, SB 14, following the remarkable move by a US District judge to put Texas under court supervision.
31 Alabama DMVs Close, But Photo ID Still Required to Vote
Congresswoman Terri Sewell is calling the closure of DMVs in mostly poor, African-American regions of Alabama- effectively cutting off access to obtaining voter ID- “unacceptable.”
US Supreme Court Shuts Down First Week of Early Voting in Ohio
Less than 24 hours before the start of Ohio’s would-be voting period, the Supreme Court blocked efforts to restore a full seven days of early voting in the state, marking a win for the Republican-controlled legislature that enacted the new voting restrictions.
Voter ID Law Struck Down in Wisconsin
A federal judge struck down Wisconsin’s new voter identification law last week, ruling that the law violated the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution as well as Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Separate Federal and State Voting Rules Threaten to Disenfranchise Voters
Arizona joined Kansas last week to create separate voter registration systems for state and local elections. The creation of two separate voter registration systems could translate into thousands of disenfranchised voters.
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North Carolina Passes Sweeping Voter Suppression Laws
On Monday, McCrory signed into law a new bill that includes a strict voter ID law, ending same-day voter registration, cutting down the length of early voting and eliminated a program that encourages high school students to register to vote before they turn 18.
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DOJ Will Counter Gutting of Voting Rights Act
The Department of Justicen will seek preclearance of voting laws from areas through federal courts in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
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North Carolina Advances Extreme Voter Suppression Legislation
A North Carolina Senate committee passed new extreme restriction on voting right on Tuesday.
Why The Voting Rights Act Still Matters: 16 Recent Examples of Voter Suppression and Discrimination
Attempts at voter suppression from the recent past attest to the idea that discrimination remains incredibly rampant and is often best stopped with federal intervention.
