The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 14, 2025
Governor Jared Polis signed the Colorado Voting Rights Act on May 12th, another state to take action in the face of ongoing erosion of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Act forbids discrimination in voting practices, protects registration and voting for Native voters, and curbs racial gerrymandering, among several provisions.
Colorado’s VRA is the ninth in the U.S., and 2025 legislation is pending in Alabama, Arizona and Maryland. Attacks on the federal VRA by the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court have added urgency to state protections against voter suppression, dilution of voting power through gerrymandering, and blocking an individual’s ability to challenge voting laws.
The Colorado provision guarantees access for Native voters, who have been subject to voter suppression for decades in some western states. It also protects access for Hispanic, Black and disabled voters, and expands multi-lingual ballot access. It protects LGBTQ voters from registration and voting discrimination, and forbids additional barriers to voting for eligible incarcerated citizens.
At the bill signing, Colorado Newsline quoted the sponsor, State Senator Julie Gonzales: “We are taking action here today to ensure that every Coloradan can cast a ballot free from discrimination and free from fear.”
We’ve linked to the details of the bill at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Colorado Legislature – Senate Bill 25-1 – The Colorado Voting Rights Act
National Conference of State Legislatures – Legislatures Pursue State-Level Voting Rights Acts
Colorado Public Radio – Colorado lawmakers approve voting rights bill, despite pushback from local officials
Colorado Newsline – Gov. Polis signs voting rights bill, shielding Colorado from federal backsliding
Movement Advancement Project – Democracy 101: Understanding State Voting Rights Acts
Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Common Cause CO, Campaign Legal Center, League of Women Voters
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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