The Voting Rights Project uses a diversity of tools to litigate cases on behalf of traditionally disenfranchised voters. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) prohibits voting practices that have the purpose or result of discriminating against members of a racial or minority language group. Section 5 of the VRA, which was rendered nearly inoperable by Shelby County v. Holder, required select jurisdictions to get federal pre-approval for voting changes before putting them into effect. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 is another powerful tool, as are Article 1 and the 14th and 15th Amendments in the U.S. Constitution, state laws and constitutions and the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
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Minority Voter Access: Election Day and Early Voting
- Georgia (racial gerrymander): Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, et. al. v. Kemp (racial gerrymander, 14th Amendment and partisan gerrymander, filed 2017)
- Arizona (polling place reductions, long lines): Huerena v. Reagan (Arizona Constitution and Arizona statutes; settled 2016)
- Utah (unequal voting opportunities): Navajo Nation v. San Juan County (U.S. Const., VRA Sections 2 & 203; ongoing)
- Texas (photo ID): Veasey v. Abbott (U.S. Constitution and VRA Section 2; ongoing)
- South Dakota (early voting): Poor Bear v. Jackson County (VRA Section 2; resolved)
- Nevada (photo ID): Rosati v. Our Vote Nevada PAC (Nevada Constitution and laws; decided 2014)
- Texas (photo ID): Texas v. Holder (VRA Section 5; resolved 2013)
- South Carolina (photo ID): South Carolina v. United States (VRA Section 5; decided 2012)
- Florida (early voting; polling place procedures): Florida v. United States (VRA Section 5; decided 2012)
- Georgia (photo ID): Common Cause v. Billups (U.S. Constitution; decided 2009)
- Ohio (election administration): League of Women Voters v. Brunner (U.S. Constitution; settled 2009)
- Ohio (absentee voting): Project Vote v. Madison County Board of Elections (VRA Section 5; decided 2008)
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Minority Vote Dilution
- North Carolina: John Hall, Elaine Robinson-Strayhorn, Lindora Toudle, Thomas Jerkins, et al., v. Jones County Board of Commissioners, et al.
- Alabama: Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, et al. v. State of Alabama, et al. (VRA Section 2; ongoing)
- Texas: Lopez, et al. v. State of Texas, et al. (VRA Section 2; ongoin/project/voting-rights-project/litigation/hold/)
- Georgia: Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, et al.v. Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, et al. (VRA Section 2; ongoing)
- Georgia: NAACP v. Emanuel County (VRA Section 2; resolved)
- Louisiana: Hall v. Louisiana (VRA Section 2; ongoing)
- Arizona: Gallardo v. Arizona (Arizona Constitution; decided 2014)
- Texas: Texas v. United States (VRA Section 5; resolved 2013)
- Louisiana: Chisom v. Jindal (VRA Section 2; decided 2012)
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Minority Voter Access: Voter Registration Procedures and Purges
- New York: Common Cause New York v. versus Board of Elections in the City of New York (NVRA: ongoing)
- Georgia: Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, et al. v. Brian Kemp (VRA Section 2, 14th and 15th Amendments of U.S. Constitution; ongoing)
- Alabama, Georgia and Kansas: League of Women Voters v. Newby (Administrative Procedure Act; ongoing)
- Georgia: Georgia State Conference of the NAACP v. Hancock County Board of Elections and Registration (NVRA; ongoing)
- Arizona and Kansas: Kobach v. EAC (NVRA; resolved 2015)
- Georgia: Third Sector Development v. Kemp (Georgia Constitution; decided 2014)
- Arizona: Arizona v. ITCA (NVRA; decided 2013)
- Florida: Mi Familia Vota v. Detzner (VRA Section 5; resolved 2013)
- Georgia: Morales v. Kemp (VRA Section 5; resolved 2010)
- Ohio: Republican Party of Ohio v. Brunner (Help America Vote Act; decided 2008)
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Minority Voter Access: Voter Registration at Public Assistance Agencies
Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 requires states to provide individuals with the opportunity to register or update their registration at public assistance agencies and agencies serving persons with disabilities. More information is available here.
- North Carolina: Action NC, et al. v. Kim Westbrook Strach, et al. (NVRA Sections 5 and 7; ongoing)
- Nevada: National Council of La Raza v. Cegavske (NVRA Section 7; settled 2016)
- Massachusetts: Delgado v. Galvin (NVRA Section 7; settled 2015)
- Alabama NVRA Compliance (non-litigation agreements under NVRA Section 7; executed in 2013)
- Pennsylvania: Black Political Empowerment Project v. Aichele (NVRA Section 7; settled 2012)
- Georgia: Georgia NAACP v. Kemp (NVRA Section 7; settled 2012)
- New Mexico: Valdez v. Duran (NVRA Sections 5 and 7; settled 2010 and 2011)
- Indiana: NAACP v.Gargano (NVRA Section 7; settled 2011)
- Missouri: ACORN v. Scott (NVRA Section 7; settled 2009)
- Ohio: Harkless v. Brunner (NVRA Section 7; settled 2009)
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Constitutionality of VRA Section 5
- Alabama: Shelby County v. Holder (decided 2013)
- Texas: Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder (decided 2009)
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Selected Amicus Briefs
- Virginia: Wittman v. Personhuballah (redistricting; ongoing)
- Alabama: Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama and Alabama Democratic Conference v. Alabama (redistricting; ongoing)
- Minnesota: Minnesota Majority v. Mansky (deceptive practices; decided 2010)
- North Carolina: Bartlett v. Strickland (redistricting; decided 2009)
- Indiana: Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (voter ID; decided 2008)
- Wisconsin: Van Hollen v. Government Accountability Board (voter purges; decided 2008)
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