The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 7, 2026
Maryland became the 10th state to pass a state voting rights act on April 28th, just 24 hours before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down use of race-concious redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Will state VRA’s offer the same protections to minority voters that the high court’s conservative majority took away?
The short answer is no, but the state VRAs offer many other voter protections. While the federal Voting Rights Act is still on the books, in the last decade, the high court’s conservative majority struck down the enforcement and remedy tools in the VRA which kept racial discrimination in voting at bay.
Expecting further erosion of VRA protections, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Virginia and Washington all passed state VRAs. While the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 signed by Governor Wes Moore does not replace majority-minority voting districts, it prohibits counties and municipalities from erecting barriers to suppress minority voters, and guarantees voters the right to challenge discrimination in court. It also gives state courts the authority to mandate remedies.
Other states include “preclearance” probation for offending municipalities, voting materials in other languages, and other protections. Twelve other states have introduced state VRAs.
We’ve linked to the National Conference of State Legislature’s list of state VRA legislation at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org, I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Stateline News – Supreme Court voting rights ruling set to reshape local power from statehouses to school boards
Maryland Senate – Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 – SB 255
Capital News Service – SCOTUS decision gutted federal Voting Rights Act, but new Maryland law offers protections
National Conference of State Legislatures – State Voting Rights Acts
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – (Feb. 2026) With U.S. Supreme Court Support for the Voting Rights Act Disappearing, the Maryland Assembly Considers the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026
American Democracy Minute – (2024) With the SCOTUS Majority Intent on Dismantling the Voting Rights Act, Pro-Democracy States are Enacting State VRAs
Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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