Lining Up: Ensuring Equal Access to the Right to Vote

Abstract

Lining Up highlights that the war on voting is not over. Released in the wake of the Supreme Court’s June 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder finding the Section 5 coverage formula of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, the Lawyers’ Committee and Advancement Project’s report chronicles the impact of restrictive voting laws on voters of color in the 2012 election. The report includes heroic stories culled from litigation documents, reports called into the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, and interviews of real people adversely affected by restrictive voter laws and their efforts to exercise the right to vote. Considering that at least 36 states introduced restrictive voting laws in 2013, this report demonstrates the continued need for, and enforcement of, federal and state laws protecting the right to vote, coupled with voter vigilance to ensure the right to vote is not undermined. This report not only highlights the challenges that voters of color face, but also provides real solutions for progress and increased voter participation. It makes the case for the need for improvements in election administration and continued outreach, education, advocacy, and litigation in order to defend the right to vote for people of color.