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Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit to Extend Virginia Voter Registration Deadline
(Richmond, Va.)- Virginia’s voter registration deadline must be extended for 48 hours and the state must make a significant effort to inform the public of this change, a lawsuit filed today by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Advancement...
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Opposes Nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett Based on Record on Race and Civil Rights
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law released its report evaluating the full civil rights record of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett today, examining her record on civil rights matters, including workers’ rights, criminal justice, voting rights,...
Victory! Alaska Supreme Court Waives Witness Signature Requirement on Absentee Ballots for November Election
(Anchorage, Alaska) - Alaskans will not need a witness signature on their absentee ballots for the November general election because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled today. The state will also be required to do voter outreach to notify state...
Mail-In Voting Made Easier in Missouri
(Jefferson City, Mo.)- Voters can now drop off absentee ballots at their election office and submit them by mail through the postal service, a decision issued today by the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri in Organization for Black...
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Condemns New Justice Department Suit Against Yale University Seeking to End Racial Diversity Efforts
(Washington, D.C.)- The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against Yale University challenging its admissions program and alleging discrimination against white students and some Asian American students. The following Lawyers’ Committee for Civil...
A Victory for Ohio Voters, Judge Rules Against Sec. LaRose’s Drop Box Scheme, Appeal Expected
CLEVELAND — This evening, a federal judge ruled that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s order limiting ballot drop boxes to one per county is unconstitutional. The decision comes as millions of voters are requesting absentee ballots to vote remotely this year due...
Civil Rights Groups Condemn White House Move to Censor Race and Gender Equity
(Washington, DC) — One hundred and twenty-one civil rights groups and allies, including Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the National Women’s Law Center...
Texas Governor’s Order on Ballot Drop Boxes is Glaring Voter Suppression
(Austin, Texas)- Governor Greg Abbott’s order to restrict each county in Texas to one secure ballot drop box is unconstitutional and a direct act of voter suppression, a lawsuit filed today against Abbott and Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs argues. The lawsuit...
Disability Rights and Racial Justice Organizations Urge Chief Justices to Endorse Bar Applicants’ Diploma Privilege During Pandemic
(Washington, D.C.)– In-person bar examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic pose a significant danger for communities of color and people with disabilities because of the disproportionate infection and death rates in those communities, a letter sent by disability and...
Fla. Voter Registration Deadline Extension Falls Woefully Short
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Florida’s online voter registration system crashed late Monday evening just before the final registration deadline for the November 2020 general election. Florida officials have announced an extension of the registration deadline through 7p.m. EDT...
Court Rules Alaska Witness Signature Requirement for Absentee Ballots is Unconstitutional During COVID-19 Pandemic
(Anchorage, Alaska)- An Alaska court has ruled that the witness requirement for absentee ballots is unconstitutional during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parties to the case are working now to determine next steps and how the Election Division can alert voters about any...
Census Must Continue Data Collection, Federal Judge Orders
(Washington, D.C.)- The Trump administration must continue data collection for the 2020 Census beyond the Oct. 5 end date abruptly decided by Secretary Ross earlier this week, Judge Lucy Koh in the Northern District of California ruled on Thursday night. In her...
Trump’s Call for Poll Watchers and DOJ’s Announcement of FBI Command Center Presents a National Elections Emergency
(Washington, D.C.)- President Donald Trump’s directive to his supporters- encouraging them to go and watch the polls very closely on Election Day and recent threats to send law enforcement officials to polling sites, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law...
Lawsuit Filed in South Carolina to Prevent Disenfranchisement of Absentee Voters
(Charleston, S.C.) - South Carolina’s failure to allow absentee voters to correct minor concerns on their ballot envelopes is unconstitutional and must be corrected before the November election, a lawsuit filed today against several...
Win for Voters: Federal Court Extends Indiana’s Absentee Ballot Return Deadline
With just a few weeks before Election Day, Hoosier voters received another big win in court Tuesday. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana granted a request to extend the state’s absentee ballot deadline. The court ruled that all mail-in ballots...