As dust Settles, Congress must make Restoration of Voting Rights Act a Top Priority
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, released the following statement in response to the conclusion of electoral races in Florida and Georgia:
“The scars and battle wounds from this election season make clear that voter suppression is rampant and unchecked. At every turn, we encountered voter suppression across Georgia and Florida aimed squarely at African Americans, Latinos and other voters of color. While contested races end, we know that there are many who were disenfranchised and locked out because of malfeasance in some communities and gross negligence in others. In Georgia, we fought officials who found reasons to reject ballots of minority voters at higher rates, purged the registration rolls, consolidated polling sites and took other action directed at the state’s voters of color. In Florida, we fought racist robo calls, discriminatory signature match verification procedures, unprocessed mail ballots and other rules intended to silence Black and Latino voters.
“As the dust settles, Congress must make restoration of the Voting Rights Act and election reform its highest priority in the new year. This election season stands as powerful evidence of the corrosive effect of voter suppression in our democracy today.”
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law leads Election Protection, the nation’s largest and longest-running voter protection program. By way of its 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, more than 31,000 voters registered complaints on Election and more than 5,000 voters sought help between November 7 and November 16. Most calls received since Election Day came from voters in Florida and Georgia.
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 55th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact
Derrick Robinson, Lawyers’ Committee, DRobinson@LawyersCommittee.org, (202) 662-8317
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