To mark the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement:
“Sixty years ago today, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 transformed our nation, bringing us closer to the promise of democracy through equal access to the ballot box. This landmark legislation came into being through the courage and conviction of civil rights leaders and everyday footsoldiers who risked everything to demand justice.
“This milestone comes as our democracy faces relentless attacks from anti-democratic actors. Since the Supreme Court’s disastrous Shelby v. Holder decision in 2013, the legal and political infrastructure protecting our voting rights has been all but dismantled, with various actors (both public and private) suppressing democratic participation for their own political gain. For example, the mid-decade redistricting effort in Texas is more than a partisan power-grab; it threatens to compound an existing civil rights violation by further gerrymandering an electoral map that already discriminates against Black voters, as we have alleged in ongoing litigation. The State is even trying to fine, remove from office, and jail the legislators who dare to oppose this manipulation. This is not the way a democracy should work. Not surprisingly, it is those most frequently targeted for disenfranchisement—Black communities and other communities of color, residents in rural areas, people with disabilities, and younger voters– who bear the brunt of this misconduct, who have had their political power diluted, their ability to register curtailed, and their path to casting a ballot made deliberately harder.
“Still, there is reason for hope. Founded during the same bold era of civil rights activism that brought us the original Voting Rights Act, the Lawyers’ Committee is proud to honor the sacrifices of our ancestors by continuing their work today, defending and advancing the right to vote in the courts and in the halls of Congress. The Lawyers’ Committee and our partners are fighting back, challenging injustice and defending democracy at every turn. We are continuing our longstanding battle against racial gerrymandering in Mississippi and Texas. We are challenging burdens on voter registration that disenfranchise people of color in Louisiana, and we are fighting purges of voter rolls that disproportionately remove eligible Black and Brown voters in Georgia and Virginia. Through our litigation, our policy arm, and our leadership role in the Election Protection coalition, we are standing as a bulwark against the myriad threats to our electoral system, whether they come from the White House or from coordinated acts of discrimination by private actors.
“We continue to fight for an inclusive multiracial democracy where voting rights are fully protected and where open access to the ballot is the norm for all Americans. That includes passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in Congress and reaffirming the push to restore and strengthen federal protections against voter suppression.
“We will not rest until the right to vote is protected for all and we restore and expand the democratic safeguard of federal legislation.”
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