Smith Calls for Better Voting Rights Protections on One Year Anniversary of SCOTUS Decision
June 25, 2014
Congressman Smith released the following statement on the one year anniversary of the Supreme Court of the United States striking down parts of the Voting Rights Act:
“A year ago today, the Supreme Court struck down key parts of the Voting Rights Act that protected voting rights in nine states that historically have had discriminatory voting practices. This decision continues to threaten the right to vote for many Americans. Any state can now implement Voter ID laws and redraw district lines to dilute the voices of large populations of communities of color without federal oversight. We must be doing more, not less, to protect the rights of all people and ensure we have equal access to the polls.
“I am a cosponsor of the Voter Empowerment Act that would require each state to allow online voter registration, in addition to providing grants and other incentives to encourage states to better promote voter registration. The bill also prevents tactics like voter caging, and looks at the ways ballots and registrations are verified. I also cosponsored the Voting Rights Amendment Act which would restore parts of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act while complying with the Supreme Court ruling.”
“A year ago today, the Supreme Court struck down key parts of the Voting Rights Act that protected voting rights in nine states that historically have had discriminatory voting practices. This decision continues to threaten the right to vote for many Americans. Any state can now implement Voter ID laws and redraw district lines to dilute the voices of large populations of communities of color without federal oversight. We must be doing more, not less, to protect the rights of all people and ensure we have equal access to the polls.
“I am a cosponsor of the Voter Empowerment Act that would require each state to allow online voter registration, in addition to providing grants and other incentives to encourage states to better promote voter registration. The bill also prevents tactics like voter caging, and looks at the ways ballots and registrations are verified. I also cosponsored the Voting Rights Amendment Act which would restore parts of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act while complying with the Supreme Court ruling.”