Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, a case which will ultimately decide whether millions of voters could face new barriers when trying to exercise their right to vote. The Voting Rights Act is an essential part of American democracy. It ensures that every American citizen, regardless of race, has an equal right to vote.

Last Tuesday during his State of the Union address, President Obama announced his solution to the nation’s flawed voting systems: the formation of a nonpartisan voting commission.