#voting-rights
#voting-rights

Black America as canary in coal mine of democracy - Harvard Gazette

Rise in white supremacy and birtherism impacting democracy

Erosion of voting rights and attacks on teaching about race and gender threaten democracy. [ more ]

Boston.com

Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Puerto Rico

President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary in Puerto Rico despite limited voting centers. [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

3 weeks ago

Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico holds Democratic primary, symbolic election for president despite not being allowed to vote in presidential elections. [ more ]

Truthout

Challenged Congressional Maps Will Remain in Place as Elections Loom

Voters in challenging districts face discriminatory congressional maps favoring Republican incumbents.

Legal battles around discriminatory gerrymandering impact voting rights, specifically for voters of color. [ more ]

moreLeft-wing politics

racial-gerrymandering

Truthout

Florida Senate's Tampa Bay Maps Are Racial Gerrymander, Residents Allege in Lawsuit

Black voters in Florida allege racial gerrymandering in state Senate districts, impacting their voting power. [ more ]

Miami Herald

NYC politics

Judge throws out Miami's 'unconstitutional' voting map over racial gerrymandering

A federal judge invalidated Miami's voting map over racially gerrymandered district boundaries.

The judge is considering special elections and redrawing the map, sparking discussions on voting representation in the city. [ more ]

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

moreracial-gerrymandering

SC NAACP Urges Supreme Court to Allow Fair Maps in 2024 Elections

South Carolina may not use racially gerrymandered districts for upcoming elections.

Legal organizations oppose the stay request and advocate for fair redistricting to protect voting rights. [ more ]

legislation

Truthout

Amid Threats to Workers and Voters, States Move to Restrict Guns at Voting Sites

Growing number of states considering restrictions on guns near voting sites for safety reasons.

At least a half-dozen states have introduced legislation to ban firearms at polling locations or expand existing restrictions. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Voting rights groups sue Alabama over blocking assistance for absentee ballots

Lawsuit filed against Alabama's new voter assistance law

SB 1 targets various assistance in the absentee voting process [ more ]

morelegislation

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

SCSJ saddened following passing of League of Women Voters US President

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice mourns the loss of Dr. Deborah Turner, President of the League of Women Voters of the United States.

Dr. Turner was a fierce defender of democracy and voting rights, and her legacy will continue as the fight for equal access to the ballot box continues. [ more ]

www.npr.org

New Michigan law means people leaving prison will automatically be registered to vote

Michigan has expanded automatic voter registration to incarcerated people after they are released.

The goal is to improve access to voting for a historically disenfranchised population. [ more ]

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

Georgia Court Blocks Racially Gerrymandered Cobb County School Board Map

The U.S. District Court has blocked the use of a racially gerrymandered map by the Cobb County School Board in an upcoming election.

The injunction was granted in response to a lawsuit alleging that the map violated the Fourteenth Amendment and diminished the voting power of Black and Latinx voters. [ more ]

Truthout

Speaker Mike Johnson Tells GOP Lawmakers in Louisiana to Ignore Court Order to Draw Black District

Black voters compose a majority in just one of the state's six districts, despite making up a third of the population.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is urging GOP legislators in Louisiana to continue fighting against a federal court ruling that the state's congressional maps are unconstitutional and violate the voting rights of Black residents. [ more ]

The Nation

Even Without a Contest at the Top of the Ticket, Voting in the Democratic Primary Still Matters

Progressive activists should focus on changing the rules of the Democratic Party for economic and social justice.

The United States has low rankings in terms of voting rights and protections against the influence of money in politics. [ more ]

racial-gerrymandering

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

Georgia Court Blocks Racially Gerrymandered Cobb County School Board Map

The U.S. District Court has blocked the use of a racially gerrymandered map by the Cobb County School Board in an upcoming election.

The injunction was granted in response to a lawsuit alleging that the map violated the Fourteenth Amendment and diminished the voting power of Black and Latinx voters. [ more ]

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

moreracial-gerrymandering

Georgia Court Blocks Racially Gerrymandered Cobb County School Board Map

The U.S. District Court has blocked the use of a racially gerrymandered map by the Cobb County School Board in an upcoming election.

The injunction was granted in response to a lawsuit alleging that the map violated the Fourteenth Amendment and diminished the voting power of Black and Latinx voters. [ more ]

supreme-court

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

SCOTUS leaves racially gerrymandered Galveston County map in place for 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court allows racially gerrymandered map to remain in place in Galveston County, depriving minority voters of representation.

Plaintiffs plan to continue their fight for fair representation through an en banc review in May 2024. [ more ]

Washington Post

Supreme Court allows Texas voting map challenged by civil rights advocates

The Supreme Court allowed a Texas election to proceed under a voting map that was found to dilute the votes of Black and Latino residents.

The decision could have broader implications for challenges to election maps and the protection of voting rights nationwide. [ more ]

Truthout

Supreme Court Rules Against Racist Gerrymandering in Alabama, Upholds Voting Rights Act

Alabama will have to redraw its maps to allocate one additional majority-Black district.The Supreme Court of the United States on Capitol Hill, photographed on February 21, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images In a decision that surprised legal experts across the country, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Thursday against congressional maps drawn in Alabama, asserting that they were the product of racist gerrymandering.

moresupreme-court

voting rights

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

Civil rights groups ask Supreme Court to provide relief for Black, Latino Galveston County voters

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice and the Texas Civil Rights Project are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to address a racially gerrymandered map in Galveston County.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has granted an en banc review of the redistricting case in question.

The decision to delay the review jeopardizes the ability of Black and Latino residents in Galveston County to elect their preferred candidates. [ more ]

www.npr.org

Arizona GOP county officials face charges after refusing to certify election on time

Two Arizona Republican supervisors face criminal charges for delaying the certification of the 2022 midterm elections.

The delay raised concerns about the potential disruption of future elections and the disenfranchisement of voters.

The Arizona secretary of state's office called for an investigation into the supervisors' actions. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

It has to be done': can Reconstruction-era laws hold Trump and allies accountable?

Laws from the Reconstruction era are being used in lawsuits to hold Trump and his allies accountable for election subversion.

These laws are also being utilized to enforce voting rights and prevent discrimination in modern-era elections.

Section 3 of the 14th amendment is being used to keep Trump off the 2024 ballot and there is a novel approach to protecting the voting rights of people with felonies. [ more ]

Truthout

Federal Court Guts Enforcement of Voting Rights Act in "Catastrophic" Ruling

A conservative three-judge panel on the US federal court struck down the primary enforcement mechanism of the Voting Rights Act, which experts believe will be catastrophic for voting rights.

The ruling limits the ability of private litigants, like voting and civil rights groups, to bring lawsuits challenging discriminatory practices in redistricting and election administration under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

The decision leaves the Justice Department as the main entity with the ability to bring lawsuits when electoral maps or changes to election administration rules have discriminatory effects on voters. [ more ]

Truthout

Federal Court Guts Enforcement of Voting Rights Act in "Catastrophic" Ruling

A conservative three-judge panel on the US federal court struck down the primary enforcement mechanism of the Voting Rights Act, which experts believe will be catastrophic for voting rights.

Boston.com

6 months ago

Boston

City Council considering local voting rights for immigrants with 'legal status'

The Boston City Council is considering allowing immigrants with legal status to vote in municipal elections.

Councilor Kendra Lara proposed a home rule petition to enact this change.

Lara argues that immigrants with legal status should have the ability to vote as they contribute to the city's economy and pay taxes. [ more ]

www.cnn.com

At least 11 states have enacted restrictive voting laws this year, new report finds

At least 11 states have enacted 13 restrictive voting laws this year, according to a new analysis from the liberal-leaning Brennan Center for Justice at New York University's law school.The Brennan Center said the 13 restrictive laws enacted so far this year is greater than the number of restrictive laws enacted in any year in the last decade with an exception to 2021 in which at least 14 states, during about the same time frame, had passed 22 restrictive laws following the 2020 election.

www.cnn.com

Minnesota becomes 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota signed a bill into law on Tuesday legalizing recreational marijuana use in the state.With Walz's signature, Minnesota becomes the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis and the third Midwestern state to do so.What we know right now is prohibition does not work.

www.independent.co.uk

Rishi Sunak defends voter ID laws after backlash from Jacob Rees-Mogg

Rishi Sunak has defended new voter ID laws after former Tory minister Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed they were a backfired attempt to improve the Conservatives' electoral chances.The prime minister also insisted the vote is a privilege that should not be extended to 16-year-olds and settled EU citizens as Labour considers extending the right.

www.independent.co.uk

Rishi Sunak defends voter ID laws and ballot box integrity'

Rishi Sunak has defended new voter ID laws after a former Tory minister Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed they were a backfired attempt to improve the Conservatives' electoral chances.The Prime Minister also insisted the vote is a privilege that should not be extended to 16-year-olds and settled EU citizens as Labour considers extending the right.

www.cnn.com

Supreme Court justice ties lessons from reality show Survivor' into commencement address

When Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered her commencement address to American University law students on Saturday, she leaned on an unexpected source for life advice: The reality television show Survivor.I am a Survivor' superfan, Jackson told graduates of the American University Washington College of Law in her first commencement speech since her elevation to the high court.

Truthout

AOC: "January 6 Was a Dress Rehearsal" For GOP's Nationwide Campaign to Expel Democrats

The attack was just one of the first steps of Republicans' fascist takeover, Ocasio-Cortez said.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez listens during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building at the U.S. Capitol on December 13, 2022, in Washington, D.C.Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Republicans across the country are waging a movement to remove and censure Democratic lawmakers simply for speaking out against the GOP - a movement that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) is saying is the next natural step after the GOP-backed attempted coup on January 6, 2021.

morepeople

legislation

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

SCSJ Condemns Voting Omnibus Bill as Blatant Disenfranchisement

RALEIGH, NC - Southern Coalition for Social Justice condemns North Carolina Republicans' sweeping omnibus elections bill as a coordinated attack on our state's voting system that will make it harder for all North Carolinians to vote, and leave many North Carolinians unable to vote at all.Senate Bill 747 is an attempt to undermine our democracy through technicalities and needless complications, constructing a multitude of unnecessary burdens on the right to vote and mandating that our hardworking elections officials implement these changes in a condensed time frame with zero additional support.

www.cnn.com

Minnesota governor signs bills further enshrining abortion, gender-affirming care into law

Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation Thursday that further enshrines the right to abortion and gender-affirming care into law and another that bans so-called conversion therapy.The new legislation enhances existing state law that makes access to abortion and gender-affirming care legal and opposes conversion therapy.

morelegislation

www.dw.com

5 days ago

France politics

New Caledonia: 3 killed, scores wounded as riots continue DW 05/15/2024

Riots erupted in New Caledonia following a bill allowing French residents to vote, leading to casualties and ongoing violence. [ more ]

www.aljazeera.com

1 day ago

France politics

Violent protests rage in New Caledonia amid growing civil unrest

The mass protests in New Caledonia are driven by concerns about voting rights and independence from France. [ more ]

Washington Post

3 days ago

France politics

Riots are flaring on a French archipelago in the South Pacific. Here's why.

France declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia due to deadly riots over voting rights sparking unrest. [ more ]

Truthout

5 days ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court Reconsiders 2022 Ban on Ballot Drop Boxes

The Wisconsin Supreme Court may overturn the ban on absentee ballot drop boxes, signaling a possible shift in decision-making. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Woman Who Received 5-Year Sentence in Voter Fraud Case Is Acquitted

Texas appeals court acquitted woman sentenced for illegal voting in 2016 election.

Case highlights the importance of proving knowledge of ineligibility in illegal voting prosecutions. [ more ]

www.amny.com

City Council will ask state's highest court to uphold noncitizen voting after lower court ruled it unconstitutional | amNewYork

City Council plans to appeal a ruling that struck down a law expanding voting rights to noncitizens.

Mayor Eric Adams's administration may not file its own appeal in the case. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Longtime civil rights advocate Emmet Bondurant will receive this year's ABA Medal

Emmet Bondurant to receive ABA Medal for civil rights advocacy

Significant cases: Wesberry v. Sanders, Rucho v. Common Cause, and Fleming v. Zant [ more ]

New York Post

NYC law that would have allowed 800K non-citizens to vote struck as unconstitutional by appeals court: 'Enacted in violation'

The New York City law allowing non-citizens to vote was deemed unconstitutional by a state appeals court.

The decision cited the state constitution's reference to only citizens having the right to vote in elections. [ more ]

POLITICO

NYC's non-citizen voting law ruled unconstitutional on appeal

The 2022 law allowing noncitizens to vote in NYC local elections faced legal challenges.

Opponents argued the law could lead to voter fraud, while progressives saw it as making politics more representative. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

2 weeks ago

New York City

He Went From Prison to Politics. Now He Helps Others Get a Second Act.

Eddie Gibbs, a formerly incarcerated individual, shared a stage with the governor to sign a bill he fought for, highlighting the importance of giving rights to those who were previously incarcerated. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

New York City

Joseph Hayden, Who Fought for Voting Rights for Ex-Felons, Dies at 82

Joseph Hayden, a former Harlem drug gang member, turned his life around to become an activist for criminal justice reform and a well-known figure in Harlem.

Hayden filed a class-action lawsuit in 2000 to restore voting rights to prisoners and parolees, which ultimately failed but helped jump-start a powerful movement to win voting rights for released felons. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

New York City

In Newark, 16-Year-Olds With Skin in the Game' Are Set to Get the Vote

Newark's City Council is expected to grant 16-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections.

If implemented, Newark would be the largest community in the US to expand voting rights to younger residents since 1971. [ more ]

www.npr.org

In new Congressional district, Black voters weigh what representation really means

Representation means diverse voices at the table for fair political decisions. [ more ]

www.mediaite.com

MAGA Influencers Forced to Cough Up Over a Million Bucks in Settlement With New York AG Over Robocalls Targeting Black Voters

The NY Attorney General reached a $1.25 million settlement with Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman for their robocall scheme targeting Black voters during the 2020 election.

Wohl and Burkman faced legal consequences for transmitting false and threatening messages to discourage voting. [ more ]

www.aljazeera.com

Overwhelmed in joy': Texas court overturns woman's voter fraud conviction

Court overturns Crystal Mason's voter fraud conviction due to lack of awareness about ineligibility.

Advocates see Mason's case as emblematic of voter disenfranchisement efforts targeting people of color. [ more ]

LGBTQ Nation

Europe politics

Trump & Mike Johnson hold bizarre press conference to introduce a law that already exists

President Trump defends Christian Nationalist Speaker Johnson by proposing a bill to ban non-citizens from voting, despite it being already banned by federal law. [ more ]

www.thelocal.dk

Europe politics

UK and Denmark agree on voting rights for UK nationals in Danish local elections

The UK and Denmark have signed a treaty allowing UK nationals living in Denmark to vote and run for office in local elections.

The treaty will also allow Danish citizens with 'settled status' in the UK to vote and participate in British local council elections. [ more ]

New York Post

NYC politics

NYC council asks highest court to allow non-citizens to vote

Allowing noncitizen immigrants to vote in NYC elections faces legal challenges.

Advocates seek approval for noncitizen immigrants to vote citing civic engagement benefits. [ more ]

Poynter

NYC politics

Sean Hannity is wrong. 'Illegal immigrants' cannot vote in New York City's local elections - Poynter

Fox News host Sean Hannity falsely claimed immigrants in the U.S. illegally can vote in New York City elections.

The legislation allowing noncitizen New York residents to vote in municipal elections never took effect. [ more ]

Washington Post

How to elect a Louisiana sheriff: runoff, recount, reversal, repeat

Residents face divisive sheriff's race in Caddo Parish

The prolonged election process creates disillusionment in the community [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Alabama Democrats Swarm to a Rare Chance to Increase Their Power

Redistricting battle in Alabama impacted by Supreme Court decision

Newly reshaped Second Congressional District offers unique political opportunity for candidates [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

Attorney General Garland tells Alabama's Bloody Sunday service that voting rights are under attack

Voting rights are endangered in the U.S. due to recent court decisions weakening the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Current legislative measures make it harder for eligible voters, particularly Black Americans, to vote and elect representatives. [ more ]

Truthout

2024 Election Has More Restrictions to Voting Than in 2020

Voting rights organizations are working to preserve voting rights amidst restrictive voting laws in several states.

Grassroots organizations like Black Voters Matter and Fair Fight are focused on increasing voter turnout and minimizing barriers to voting in core states. [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

MLK Jr. holiday celebrations include acts of service and parades, but some take a political turn

Some Martin Luther King Jr. holiday events took on a political tone amidst the backdrop of the November presidential election.

Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney criticized Trump for not accepting his loss and threatening the foundations of democracy. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Democrats Set Ambitious Spending Plan for State Legislative Races

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (D.L.C.C) is planning to allocate its largest campaign budget ever in an effort to flip five chambers in swing states and defend three recently earned majorities.

State legislatures have become increasingly important, as they have the power to govern issues such as abortion access and voting rights. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Education

Left without a voice': October general election could leave students in UK unable to vote

Hundreds of thousands of students at risk of being disenfranchised in October election due to registration challenges

Concerns about students being left out of voting process due to new government rules [ more ]

Brooklyn Eagle

Education

Brooklyn Bar Association president-elect highlights voting rights issues at BHM event

Anthony Vaughn Jr. addresses voting rights at Black History Month event

Georgia's voter ID requirements disproportionately affect students at private HBCUs [ more ]

LGBTQ Nation

LGBT

Trans folks in LA can safely cast their ballots at the country's first trans voting center

Transgender voting center opens in Los Angeles County for safe voting space

Promoting equity and inclusivity through dedicated voting spaces [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

California

Can I be turned away at the polls on Election Day? Here's what California law says

Eligible voters cannot be turned away if in line by polls close.

California offers same-day voter registration for those who missed the registration deadline. [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

California

How late is too late to drop off a California ballot? What to know for Election Day 2024

You have the right to vote if you are in line when the polls close at 8 p.m.

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received within seven days after. [ more ]

Sacramento Bee

California

Teenagers not yet 18 can preregister to vote in California. Here's are the details

California allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote

Youth voters have the potential to determine elections [ more ]

ABC7 San Francisco

San Francisco

SF re-examines its procurement process after business ban on 30 states backfires

San Francisco's ban on doing business with 30 states that had laws undermining LGBTQ and voting rights as well as blocking abortion access ended up hurting the city more than those states.

The ban resulted in higher costs for San Francisco, such as paying $1.7 million for a public toilet instead of a cheaper option from a company in Nevada. [ more ]

Axios

Artificial intelligence

Groups urge Congress to crack down on AI misuse in elections

Voting rights activists are calling for Congress to pass legislation to limit the misuse of AI in elections.

Computer-generated images, audio, and video are being used to confuse and mislead voters, including deepfakes and fake robocalls. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK politics

First photo ID, now votes for expats: the Tories are showing us exactly what election rigging looks like | Polly Toynbee

The Electoral Commission's key recommendations for permissible IDs were ignored in the Elections Act, potentially disenfranchising certain voters.

The requirement for photo ID at polling stations has deterred 4% of voters, particularly young people who are less likely to be Tory voters. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK politics

Britons living abroad regain right to vote in UK elections as 15-year rule ends

Three million Britons living abroad for more than 15 years will regain their right to vote in all elections in the UK.

The change brings the UK in line with other major democracies that allow lifelong voting rights. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK politics

What are Labour's plans for giving foreign nationals the right to vote?

Keir Starmer's plan to extend the right to vote in a general election to foreign nationals has been politically polarising.Many see it is a fundamental democratic right; others have seized on it as a leftwing plot to reverse Brexit.The Conservative party chair, Greg Hands, accused the Labour leader of a plot to rig the electorate, while his predecessor in the role, Nadhim Zahawi, claimed it was a move to soften the nation to get the UK back into the EU.

ABA Journal

Yale Law's Owen Fiss talks about threats to democracy and 'Why We Vote'

Owen Fiss, a professor at Yale Law School, discusses the importance of voting and threats to democracy in his new book.

He reflects on his experience working with the Department of Justice to implement civil rights and voting rights laws.

Fiss also discusses recent threats to the electoral system, including the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. [ more ]

www.dw.com

Germany news

How to found a political party in Germany DW 01/27/2024

Any adult in Germany can vote, join a party, stand for election, or found their own party.

Foreigners can establish a party in Germany, but the majority of the executive committee and members must be German nationals. [ more ]

www.france24.com

EU data protection

Millions of overseas Brits now eligible to vote in UK general elections

3.5 million Britons living overseas can now vote in UK general elections, following a change in the law.

The change is the most significant expansion of the electorate since 1928. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

EU data protection

Britons living abroad regain right to vote in UK elections as 15-year rule ends

Three million Britons living abroad for more than 15 years will regain their right to vote in all elections in the UK.

The change brings the UK in line with other major democracies that allow lifelong voting rights. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

EU data protection

Britons living abroad regain right to vote in UK elections as 15-year rule ends

Three million Britons living abroad for more than 15 years will regain their right to vote in all elections in the UK.

The change brings the UK in line with other major democracies that allow lifelong voting rights. [ more ]

www.thelocal.com

How Britons living in Europe can register to vote for UK election

The UK has scrapped the 15-year rule that barred many Britons living overseas from voting.

Britons living abroad will be able to register to vote from January 16th, 2024. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Ministers move ahead with plans to restrict EU voting rights

Ministers are moving ahead with plans to remove the right of EU citizens to vote and stand in elections in England and Northern Ireland.Seven years after the UK voted for Brexit, the Government confirmed plans to remove the automatic right of EU citizens to vote and stand in local elections.Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison, in a written ministerial statement, told MPs that the Government had published draft secondary legislation to bring forward the change.

Boston.com

Boston

City Council approves measure that would let immigrants with 'legal status' vote in Boston elections

The Boston City Council has approved a measure allowing non-citizen immigrants with 'legal status' to vote in municipal elections.

The measure still needs the approval of Mayor Michelle Wu and the state Legislature before implementation. [ more ]

Chicago Tribune

Republican National Committee backs effort to block mail-in ballots received after Election Day

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is supporting an appeal in a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn an Illinois law that allows mail-in ballots to be counted up to 14 days after Election Day.

This comes as the RNC is promoting a 'bank the vote' program to encourage Republicans to vote by mail. [ more ]

The Nation

A Rando Trump Judge Just Blew a Giant Hole in the Voting Rights Act

Judge Stras's decision makes the Voting Rights Act virtually unenforceable in seven states.

The Eighth Circuit ruled that private citizens could not sue to protect their voting rights.

If the ruling is upheld, only the attorney general can challenge states that violate voting rights. [ more ]

WSJ

Appeals Court Curbs Voting Lawsuits Claiming Discrimination

Federal appeals court rules that voters alleging discrimination in election rules do not have the right to sue.

The ruling could have a significant impact on voting rights if adopted by other courts.

Only the U.S. Attorney General can bring legal claims under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. [ more ]

www.npr.org

An appeals court has struck down a key path for enforcing the Voting Rights Act

A federal appeals court has struck down a key path for enforcing the Voting Rights Act, potentially limiting its protections for people of color.

The dispute centers around who is allowed to sue to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, with the lower court ruling that only the U.S. attorney general can bring such lawsuits.

This ruling may set up a Supreme Court fight and could further limit the reach of the Voting Rights Act's protections for people of color. [ more ]

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

SCSJ Calls for End of Voting Law That Criminalizes Mistakes by Individuals with Felony Convictions

DURHAM - A group of pro-democracy plaintiffs have asked a federal court in the MiddleDistrict of North Carolina to block a longstanding racist law that makes it a felony for a NorthCarolinian to vote while on parole, probation, or post-release supervision for a felony conviction,even if they mistakenly believe or are told in error by election workers or their parole officersthat they are eligible to vote.

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

SCSJ Celebrates Historic Victory in Allen v. Milligan

ALABAMA - The U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the continued importance of the Voting Rights Act today in Allen v. Milligan by upholding a lower court's unanimous decision that Alabama's state congressional map discriminated against Black voters.In 2021, the Alabama state legislature produced new congressional maps which only allowed one Black majority district within the state's Black Belt, an 18-county region marked by historic discrimination and socioeconomic struggles.

Python Software Foundation Blog

Python

Affirming your PSF Membership voting status

This year's Board Election begins June 20th, and voter eligibility cut-off is June 15th.You should have received an email with instructions and you need to affirm your voting rights before June 15th in order to participate in this year's Board Election.Email will be from "psf@psfmember.org <Python Software Foundation>" with subject "[Action Required] Affirm your PSF Membership voting status"
Why you are being asked to do this:
Section 4.2 of the PSF Bylaws requires that "Members of any membership class with voting rights must affirm each year to the corporation in writing that such member intends to be a voting member for such year."

www.cnn.com