THE only politicians afraid of and opposing voting rights are those who are not representing the people and the nation who elected them. Voting rights are basic to the survival of the American Republic, denying them are basic to the imposition of the American plutocracy. Sign this petition, tell your members of congress to pass The Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014.....
Just a month before the election, voting rights have been on a wild ride. Two days ago, the Roberts Court issued its second decision in two weeks to make it more difficult for Americans to vote. After cutting back early voting in Ohio, the Court allowed North Carolina to eliminate Same-Day Registration (SDR) just before the election, despite the findings by a federal appeals court that eliminating SDR is racially discriminatory.
And then, late last night, the Supreme Court stopped voter ID in Wisconsin, AND a federal court struck down Texas’ voter ID law for having a discriminatory effect against African American and Latino voters, who are respectively 305 percent and 195 percent more likely than white voters not to have acceptable ID. Demos Counsel Liz Kennedy breaks down these recent decisions here.
But voting rights should not be a roller-coaster ride. Sign our petition demanding Congress protect the freedom to vote.
What makes North Carolina and Texas unique is that the state laws in question—two of the country’s most restrictive—were only made possible by the Supreme Court’s ruling last year in Shelby v. Holder. Striking down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected voters in states with legacies of racial discrimination, Shelby opened the way for vote-suppression laws that undermine the freedom to vote. The ruling emboldened states like North Carolina and Texas to make voting less inclusive, even when restrictions clearly target communities of color.
Don’t let the Supreme Court have the last word. Tell Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act.
In stark contrast to unnecessarily restrictive voter ID laws, SDR is about ensuring the freedom to vote for all Americans regardless of age, race, or class. Our research finds that states with SDR have consistently higher turnout and participation than states without.
That’s why Demos has been working on enacting SDR in the states for years, and why 15 states have now enacted reform. North Carolina’s elimination of SDR, aided and abetted by the Supreme Court, is a huge step backward.
An inspiring movement has emerged in North Carolina's Moral Monday protests demanding voting, economic, and racial justice. They're an example for the entire country. But with the Court’s divergent rulings on voting rights, it’s more important than ever that Congress act.
Thanks for standing up,
Brenda Wright
Vice President of Legal Strategies
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