After years of tireless advocacy, New Jersey voters are finally protected by a State Voting Rights Act (state VRA).
This summer, the New Jersey Legislature passed, and the governor signed, the John R. Lewis New Jersey Voter Empowerment Act (NJVEA), which provides important voting rights protections ahead of the November 2026 elections.
Campaign Legal Center is proud to have worked alongside local pro-voter organizations in the state to advance voter protections to ensure that every New Jerseyan can make their voice heard in our elections. The NJVEA coalition includes the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice (NJISJ), ACLU of New Jersey, the League of Women Voters New Jersey, AAPI New Jersey, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and the Legal Defense Fund.
What are State VRAs?
State VRAs are commonsense, pro-voter laws that expand on the protections against racial discrimination found in the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA). They help ensure that every voter can continue to make their voices heard at the ballot box and elect representatives of their choice.
These important pieces of legislation are innovative laws that build on the core protections of the federal VRA to give voters stronger tools to address racial discrimination in state and local elections. Since the U.S. Supreme Court began weakening the federal VRA — in both the 2013 case Shelby County v. Holder and the 2026 case Louisiana v. Callais — states are stepping in to fill the gap.
In recent years, Campaign Legal Center has collaborated with state and national groups to pass or update state VRAs in Washington, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Colorado, and Maryland. CLC also brought the first case under the Washington Voting Rights Act, which challenged a discriminatory at-large election system in Yakima County and produced a historic settlement for voters of color, as well as the first case under the Virginia Voting Rights Act, which challenged a discriminatory at‑large election system in Virginia Beach and led to the adoption of a district-based system that ensures fair representation.
What is the NJVEA?
The NJVEA provides voters of color in New Jersey with several protections to help ensure a meaningful opportunity to participate in the political process.
Specifically, the NJVEA provides a “private right of action” in state law to challenge racially discriminatory voting policies enacted at the local level; makes it easier for voters experiencing discrimination to fight back in court and through a collaborative process outside of the courts; and requires courts to interpret all election-related laws in favor of voters and their equal right to participate in the political process.
The NJVEA also creates a state-level preclearance program, which requires localities with histories of discrimination in voting to obtain preapproval before making electoral changes. The new law also provides protections against voter intimidation and requires the provision of translated materials and assistance for voters who primarily speak a language other than English.
What’s next for New Jersey Voters?
The fight to ensure New Jersey voters the strongest possible protections — like those initially passed by the state Assembly — is not over. The current bill leaves critically important voting rights programs unfunded, leaving key provisions without the resources needed for full and effective implementation.
New Jersey can and should do more to protect voting rights otherwise undermined by the Supreme Court. Strong state VRAs are specifically designed to respond to developments in federal courts that have decimated similar protections. For example, in Brnovich v. DNC, the Supreme Court’s ruling made it more difficult to challenge discriminatory voting practices. A strong state VRA should reject the Supreme Court’s reasoning and allow voters of color to enforce their rights against voter suppression.
Likewise, strong state VRAs should allow state courts to block discriminatory voting laws regardless of when they are enacted or implemented. This negates the so-called Purcell principle, a concept promoted by the Supreme Court that says courts should not rule on any voting-related cases close to an election. This has subsequently forced voters across the country to cast ballots under unlawful practices or election maps even when it would have been possible to remedy the violation.
State VRAs should also provide strong, streamlined standards for assessing vote suppression claims that protect voters’ rights and save time and money for all parties.
Campaign Legal Center will continue this important work in states across the country to expand voter protections, because our democracy works best when everyone can participate. Join us today.