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Supreme Court Declines to Protect Voting Rights for Minorities

Press Release / Last Updated:

WASHINGTON – The League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Virginia Kase Solomón issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee.

“The Court’s ruling today is a devastating blow to our democracy and will clear the way for states to pass discriminatory laws, put up barriers to voting, and chase problems that do not exist. 

“Today the Supreme Court had an opportunity to protect the freedom to vote at a critical moment in our history, yet the Court ruled to maintain a status quo of discriminatory voting policies in Arizona and to continue the attack on the Voting Rights Act. 

“Since the 2013 Shelby Co. v. Holder decision that gutted key protections from the Voting Rights Act, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of anti-voter policies across the country that too often disenfranchise Latinx, Native American, and Black voters. 

“Today’s ruling takes us down a harmful path. The Court’s majority even acknowledged that the impact of Arizona’s law on minority voters is twice what it is on white voters. But instead of protecting voters who have historically faced greater disenfranchisement, the Court focused on the voting experience of the majority of voters, which is not the intent of the Voting Rights Act. 

“The League stands with the Latinx, Native American, and Black communities and will continue to fight in the courts to ensure the voices of voters are not silenced based on race, ethnicity, or language access.

“In light of today’s ruling, it is more important than ever that Congress act quickly to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act. Establishing national standards for our elections will repair the extreme damage to the freedom to vote and build a stronger and more inclusive democracy.

The League of Women Voters of the United States joined an amicus brief in this case.

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CONTACT: Sarah Courtney | 202-263-1332 | [email protected]

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