Seven years ago today, SCOTUS gutted the Voting Rights Act, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement, subjecting millions of voters to racial discrimination the VRA outlawed.
We dive into the devastating impact the Shelby County decision has had on our democracy. (Thread)
We dive into the devastating impact the Shelby County decision has had on our democracy. (Thread)
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been widely regarded as the “crown jewel” of the civil rights movement. For over five decades, the landmark legislation was instrumental in protecting the right to vote, particularly for communities of color.
The 2013 Shelby County decision unleashed a sudden & persistent wave of restrictive voting laws in states across the country &, unsurprisingly, has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color who have historically faced additional & unnecessary barriers to voting.
Within two hours of the ruling, Texas announced that it would implement a strict photo ID law. The only two forms of state voter identification it would accept was a driver’s license or a gun license—a measure the DOJ had previously blocked.
Within two months of the decision, North Carolina limited the voter registration window, imposed strict ID requirements, and dramatically cut early voting during times traditionally used by African Americans.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, there have been hundreds of “harsh measures making it harder to vote” introduced in state legislatures since 2010. Many of these were introduced after the Shelby County decision.
What does voter suppression and disenfranchisement under Shelby look like?
❌Gerrymandering
❌The closure of over 1,000 polling locations
❌Purging voters from state voter rolls
❌Strict photo ID requirements
❌Limitations on who can provide assistance at polling locations
❌Gerrymandering
❌The closure of over 1,000 polling locations
❌Purging voters from state voter rolls
❌Strict photo ID requirements
❌Limitations on who can provide assistance at polling locations
In 2019, a Brennan Center analysis found that at least 17 million voters were purged nationwide between 2016 and 2018, and that counties with a history of voter discrimination purged voters from the rolls at much higher rates than other counties.
Perhaps the most fundamentally problematic part of the ruling came from Chief Justice Roberts, who wrote in the opinion that “our country has changed,” arguing that the racism and discrimination that pervaded our nation during the civil rights era was no longer as pervasive...
The Court got it wrong.
The right to vote is one of the most important parts of being an American and every eligible voter should be able to cast a ballot without obstruction.
We must fight to protect the right to vote. Join us ⬇️
democraticredistricting.com
The right to vote is one of the most important parts of being an American and every eligible voter should be able to cast a ballot without obstruction.
We must fight to protect the right to vote. Join us ⬇️
democraticredistricting.com
