Every day, the freedom to vote is under attack.

Since the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder gutted the Voting Rights Act (VRA), at least 31 states have enacted 114 voting laws that make it harder to vote, with the burden falling hardest on Black voters and other voters of color.  

We need a fully restored VRA to defend our democracy and protect the freedom to vote. That is why the League is proud to support the reintroduction of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), vital legislation that is needed to fully restore and modernize the VRA and ensure that discriminatory voting policies are stopped in their tracks. 

Tell your members of Congress to protect the freedom to vote and support the passage of the JLVRAA. Equality — and our democracy — cannot wait. 

Take action. 

• CALL your congressional offices. Make your opinion count. 
• Senators Lindsay Graham and Tim Scott. 
• Find your South Carolina House Representative
• SEND a message to your representative. 

What is the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA)?

• The JLVRAA ensures that every voter—regardless of where they live, what they look like, or what language they speak—has equal access to the ballot box and is protected from unfair laws and practices that make it harder for people to vote
• The JLVRAA establishes a targeted process for reviewing voting changes based on measures that have historically been used to discriminate against voters. The process for reviewing changes in voting is limited to a certain set of circumstances, such as establishing photo ID laws or reducing multilingual voting materials, which have been shown to have a discriminatory impact.

Why do we need it?

• The JLVRAA restores and modernizes the original protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) to combat many of the new and recent discriminatory voting requirements that states have enacted that disproportionately prevent people of color, women, the elderly, and youth from voting.
• The JLVRAA allows federal courts to immediately halt questionable voting practices until a final ruling is made. This is crucial because when voting rights are at stake, prohibiting a discriminatory practice after the election has concluded is too late to truly protect voters' rights.
• Issues like healthcare, education, and transportation are all affected by the politicians we elect. The JLVRAA restores the protections of the original VRA to make sure people are able to equally and accessibly exercise their right to vote and choose their elected representatives.
• Politicians can’t have unchecked power. Our democracy is meant to be a system of checks and balances and the JLVRAA is a mechanism for the courts to serve as a check on legislative power.

Why does it need to be restored?

• Shelby County v. Holder invalidated the section of the Voting Rights Act that required certain states and local governments to obtain federal approval before implementing any changes to their voting laws or practices if the states had a history of voting discrimination against racial, ethnic, and language minorities. It also invalidated the formula that determined which jurisdictions fall under federal oversight.
• In Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court asked Congress to come up with a modern-day formula that protects voting rights. The Voting Rights Advancement Act accomplishes this by enacting voter protections for states with a record of suppressive voting practices in the last 25 years.
• Since Shelby County v. Holder, there has been a steady increase in the number of restrictive voting laws that disproportionately suppress turnout among minorities, young adults, and the elderly - The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act provides the necessary tools to address these discriminatory voting practices and protects all Americans’ access to the ballot box.

The League of Women Voters US supports the JLVRAA.

• LWVUS believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed; all eligible voters, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities, including first-time voters, non-college youth, new citizens, minorities, and low-income Americans – must have the opportunity and the information they need to exercise their right to vote.
• LWVUS believes in ensuring a free, fair, and accessible electoral system for all eligible voters.
• LWVUS actively opposes voter photo ID laws, advocates against barriers to the voter registration process, works to prevent last-minute Election Day barriers, and helps millions of voters get the information and required documentation they need to vote.

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