Ahead of House Consideration of John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, IFPTE Urges Lawmakers to Restore Federal Oversight of Voting Rights
This week, with the House of Representatives scheduling a floor vote on H.R. 4, “The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” IFPTE urged Representatives to pass this bill and ensure participation in our democracy is available to all American citizens and not constrained by discriminatory election laws and policies.
IFPTE’s letter explains the significance of passing H.R. 4 and why restoring and modernizing the protections in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is critical to repairing our electoral systems.
The letter explains:
In the years since the weakening of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, changes to state and county laws and election procedures have already threatened a cornerstone principle of our democracy, enshrined in the 15th Amendment: that the right of American citizens to vote shall not be denied “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Recently, numerous states have already enacted restrictive voting requirements that limit access to the ballot box, reduce the number of polling places in specific communities, and place undue burdens on voters. Now – with the once-in-a-decade process of redistricting underway – the prospect of restrictive election policies, the redrawing of districts, and a weakened federal oversight process has opened the door to undoing the anti-discriminatory ballot access gains of the Voting Rights Act. These changes will impact communities of color the hardest and will deny Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American voters in certain states and localities a fair opportunity exercise their right to vote and elect lawmakers that reflect their individual priorities, preferences, and concerns.
Under the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the preclearance process would be updated and modernized to comply with the Supreme Court’s Shelby County ruling. The geographic formula in the bill would require a 10-year period for the federal government to preclear any changes to voting changes in states and localities with a recent record of discriminatory election policies. This bill would protect the franchise of voting for American citizens, regardless of the state, locality, or community they live in.
UPDATE, August 25, 2021:
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4. See how you Representative voted here. IFPTE will continue to advocate for Senate consideration and passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.