State Voting Rights Acts (state VRAs) allow states to go above and beyond the voter protections established by the federal Voting Rights Acts (VRA) and are an innovative way for states to ensure their voters have the freedom to vote in state and local elections.
Back to topThe New York State Senate and New York State Assembly have passed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of New York (NYVRA), which Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed into law, making it the most comprehensive state Voting Rights Act in the country.
The NYVRA protects communities of color from attacks on their freedom to vote by preventing...
Following the Supreme Court's disastrous decision in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013 that gutted certain provisions of the federal (VRA) and subsequent decisions that have further chipped away at the VRA, some states and localities rushed to pass anti-voter laws and election systems that disproportionately target voters of color. State VRAs push back against that trend, making our democracy more accessible to all Americans.
State Voting Rights Acts are legislative packages give voters tools to fight discriminatory voting laws and policies and help to ensure that all voters in a given state can exercise their freedom to vote, can help create a more inclusive and accountable democracy.
State VRAs can help fill gaps in voter access and bring us toward a democracy in which all voters have an equal voice. State VRAs can:
Protecting voters from racially discriminatory voting policies and election systems.
Instructing courts to consider a variety of possible solutions to discriminatory voting policies and election systems and to prioritize community input instead of the solutions proposed by self-interested politicians.
Reducing the need for lawsuits altogether by demanding that voters and local governments work together to fix discriminatory voting policies and election systems before resorting to legal battles.
Preventing discriminatory election systems from being implemented in the first place by establishing preclearance requirements.
Allowing states to go above and beyond the floor set by the federal VRA to protect and serve their voters. For example, several state VRAs add civil protections against voter intimidation and expand language access for voters with limited English proficiency. Some states also implement additional protections tailored to their specific needs, like the Colorado VRA, which enhances voting access for Native voters.
Since 2001, California, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Connecticut, Washington, Minnesota and Colorado have all passed state VRAs, and Campaign Legal Center is working alongside partners across the country, including in Maryland, New Jersey, Michigan and Alabama, to expand that list. CLC also files lawsuits to enforce state VRAs on behalf of historically disenfranchised communities, including the first case brought under the Washington Voting Rights Act, which challenged a discriminatory election system in Yakima County and resulted in a historic settlement.
Our democracy works best when every voter can participate in it. State VRAs are a step toward making the vision of a government that is truly of, by and for the people a reality by making our democracy more accessible and responsive to the people it was formed to serve.
