Congress must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to push back against the GOP’s racist redistricting and voting laws.
Voting Wrongs
In name, the United States is a democracy, but in practice, many millions of people are disenfranchised — whether because of felony convictions, undocumented status, onerous state and local voting restrictions, or other structural barriers. Partisan, racist gerrymandering manipulates districts, stifling the voting power of whole communities. Meanwhile, archaic mechanisms like the Electoral College prevent the votes of all people from being truly counted. Fortunately, activists around the country are working hard to gain the ballot — and make it count — for everyone in this country. A critical election looms in 2020. At this historic moment, Truthout begins a new series, “Voting Wrongs,” to expose the injustices that disenfranchise vast numbers of people — and the bold efforts that seek to transform the way the United States does “democracy.”
Prisoners’ inability to vote means we can’t vote for fair-minded judges who will protect our rights in civil court.
Voting rights should include the right to vote for someone who represents your views, not just the lesser evil.
Biden faces rising pressure to throw his full political weight behind ending the filibuster and defending voting rights.
We need federal legislation to preempt voting restrictions at the national level.
The bill would increase polling places in many Republican-represented districts while cutting them in Democratic areas.
As the GOP moves to sabotage the electoral process, these laws aim to scare away potential voters and poll workers.
The For the People Act being targeted by One Nation PAC would also prohibit dark money spending in political campaigns.
The court may strike another key provision of the act as the House passes a sweeping election reform package.
The proposal exposed a deep rift among Democrats over how far to push their agenda on racial justice.