What You Should Know About State Voting Rights Acts: A Popular, Powerful Tool to Advance Political Power

IN BRIEF: The Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder laid the groundwork for the greatest assault on voting rights since Jim Crow, and Congress has repeatedly failed to enact legislation to restore and strengthen protections in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That lack of federal action has made it imperative for state and local leaders to step in to protect access to the ballot through strong State Voting Rights Acts, or state VRAs.

State VRAs fill the gaps left by our weakened federal voting laws by prohibiting voter suppression and discriminatory election systems that undermine Black and Brown voters’ ability to elect their preferred candidates. Many state VRA laws or proposals include provisions to provide information in multiple languages, make election rules clearer for voters, and stop discrimination before it occurs in high-risk places. Seven states — California, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota — have already enacted this critical legislation.

WHY IT MATTERS: Voting is one of our most fundamental rights as citizens, and who we elect to positions of power — from the White House to the local school board — affects every aspect of our lives. Yet Black voters, Brown voters, people with disabilities, people whose primary language isn’t English, and more face steep barriers to the ballot box, including tactics designed to suppress their political power. For our democracy to work for everyone, all eligible voters must have a say.

MOMENTUM: Though Congress has been sitting on its hands, seven states have enacted state voting rights acts, most recently in New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota, and there’s momentum right now in several other states, including Maryland and New Jersey. State VRAs are also extremely popular. Newly released polling data from LDF and Impact Research found that more than 75% of voters nationwide support having a voting rights act in their state, and about two-thirds believe voting rights are under threat.

LDF AT WORK: While the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) advocates for the passage of state VRAs, we’re also working to ensure voters are fully aware of why these critical bills matter. In fact, LDF teamed up with the Center for American Progress (CAP) to launch a video explainer series on state VRAs. To learn even more about LDF’s work on state VRAs, check out our landing page.