Tell Congress to Restore the Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to voting rights in 2013. It's time to undo the damage.
By striking down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA)—an influential piece of legislation that protects the marginalized from being excluded from voting—Supreme Court justices allowed states with a history of civil rights violations to change voting laws without federal oversight.
Since the Supreme Court's decision, these and other states have passed numerous laws to make voting more difficult. The very same day the decision was announced, Texas enacted strict voter identification requirements previously barred under the VRA. North Carolina limited early voting and reduced the window for voter registration. In Alabama and elsewhere, polling places have been closed in neighborhoods comprised primarily of low-income African Americans and Latinos.
The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 to protect minorities from discrimination at the polling place. In their ruling, the Supreme Court concluded that racial minorities don't face significant barriers to voting—but this is far from the truth.
A true democracy is only successful when every voice is represented. Please sign your name and urge Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act!
Dear Congressmember:
The Supreme Court's 2013 decision to strike down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act dealt a huge blow to our democracy. I urge you to support S.1659 to fix the Voting Rights Act and protect the right to vote.
Strict voter identification requirements, redistricting, cutting back on early voting, and the closing of polling places in low-income minority neighborhoods are all tactics that were barred under the Voting Rights Act for being discriminatory—but states have passed numerous laws like this since the Supreme Court's decision, barring some of the most marginalized people from the polls.
[your comment here]
The Voting Rights Act was created to protect minorities from discrimination at the polling place. Please support S. 1659 to restore this crucial legislation and protect every American's right to vote!
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[your name]
