fbpx

Voting Rights

For Immediate Release: December 2, 2016

When the Supreme Court overturned the Voting Rights Act in a 5-4 decision in 2012, Justice Ginsburg warned that, “it’s like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you’re not getting wet”. She was proven right as the worst offenders immediately sought to restrict voting rights using new and old tactics. We need a modern Voting Rights Act that takes into consideration the positive solutions to expanding access and protects against the negative state actions that have occurred in the wake of Shelby County v. Holder.

Solutions:
– Restore the Voting Rights Act.
– Remove barriers to voting, including voter ID laws, which disproportionately impact people of color, the elderly, the young, low income individuals, transgender people, and women.
– Support Same Day and Online voter registration, pre-registration of youth, registration of 18-year olds leaving foster care, and automatic voter registration, among others
– Improve and expand voter contact strategies
– Invest in public education programs that focus on civic engagement
– Host national and regional convenings to address voting rights and voter representation issues including redistricting and political leadership among African American women
– Expand candidate development programs
– Engage faith communities and more organizers in civic engagement of voter participation campaigns.
– Allow people with a felony conviction the right to vote.