The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 4, 2024
Today’s Script
Clarification: Our report today referred to the 1965 Voting Rights Act Section 5, which used the Section 4 formula used to determine when states or municipalities became subject to oversight by the U.S. Justice Department. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act reestablishes a formula to replace Section 4.
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate, backed by virtually every civil rights and democracy organization in the country. What is this landmark bill, and why should you – and Congress – care about it?
In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby v. Holder struck down Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Section 5 includes a formula for requiring states and municipalities with a track record of voter suppression to have any new election law be subject to review by the U.S. Justice Department. In 1965, that meant states which had suppressed Black voters. But it later included Arizona and Alaska for allowing language barriers to suppress Native American and Hispanic voters.
Striking down the formula removed that oversight, and opened a floodgate of Conservative voter suppression laws, including horrendous omnibus bills in Georgia, Florida, Texas, and others. But, while the Supreme Court struck down the formula, it does allow Congress to fix it.
The John Lewis Act is that fix. If a state has 15 or more voting rights or racial gerrymandering violations, or if the state has 10 violations and the state legislature or officials participated, it can trigger 10 years of federal oversight.
The bill had a simple majority in the Senate in 2021, but didn’t have the 60 votes to overcome the filibuster.
We have more on this important bill and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Brennan Center for Justice – Effects of Shelby County v. Holder on the Voting Rights Act
The Hill – (2021) Senate GOP blocks John Lewis voting rights bill
U.S. Justice Department – Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (Formula)
U.S. Justice Department – Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (Enforcement)
U.S. Senate – S-4 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2024
U.S. Congress – John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 (Text)
Democracy Docket – Senate Democrats Reintroduce Bill To Revitalize the Voting Rights Act
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee – Durbin, Warnock, Schumer Reintroduce John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Groups Taking Action:
Declaration for American Democracy, League of Women Voters, NAACP, Public Citizen, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
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