CAP: States Are Stepping Up To Protect Voting Rights In Absence Of Federal Action

By Center For American Progress Photos: YouTube Screenshots Washington, D.C. — As legislation on voting rights awaits action in Congress, a growing number of states are passing their own laws to prevent voter intimidation and election interference, making it easier for Americans to exercise their right to vote. A new issue brief from the Center for American Progress highlights voting rights laws recently approved in half a dozen states: California, Connecticut, New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington. The brief also describes similar legislation proposed in several other states, including Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Jersey. State voting rights acts (VRAs) can both help fill the holes left by the U.S. Supreme Court’s gutting of the federal Voting Rights Act and offer expanded protections not currently available under federal law. Even if federal legislation passes, state VRAs are important to provide state-specific protections and open an avenue for voters to protect their rights in state court. “States must step up and protect the right to vote by passing laws with strong voter protections,” said Rebecca Mears, director of Democracy in the Structural Reform and Governance department at CAP and author of the brief. “These laws are critical for protecting voters...