American Democracy and Voter Suppression

Abstract

We review the history, magnitude, and scope of voter suppression in the United States., showing that, when it is attempted, it targets the voting rights of a disfavored group. We argue that this is an important weakness of American democracy and that current efforts at voter suppression focus on states with major demographic shifts that are seen by some to be threatening. We then discuss the consequences of recent decisions by the Supreme Court to weaken key elements of the Voting Rights Act, arguing that a weakened Voting Rights Act has led to a resurgence of voter suppression in some states and that those same states often see a rise in countermobilization efforts aimed at encouraging targeted communities to register and vote. An undeniable impact of current attempts at voter suppression, we argue, is that it signals to certain communities that their participation in elections is not wanted.