EDITORIAL AND OPINION WRITERS PRESS CALL
Voting Rights in the Post-ShelbyWorld: The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Reflections on its legacy, recent court rulings, and whether all have the ability to vote today
WHAT: This briefing, designed as background for Editorial Page and Opinion writers, dives into the legacy of the Voting Rights Act, the continuing legacy of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder, and the increased importance of safeguarding the right to vote through litigation and Election Protection in the face of ongoing attempts at voter suppression. The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 1 at 2:30 pm EDT
WHO:
- Kristen Clarke: president and executive director of the National Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee). She has handled important voting rights cases such as Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, worked inside the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, and has worked through two decennial redistricting cycles.
- Marcia Johnson-Blanco: co-director of the Voting Rights Project, Lawyers’ Committee manages its programs including leading Election Protection, the nation’s largest non-partisan voter protection program, overseeing the work of the National Commission on voting rights, and ensuring minority participation in the redistricting process and ensuring those with felony convictions regain their right to vote.
- Ezra Rosenberg: co-director of the Voting Rights Project, Lawyers’ Committee oversees all voting rights litigation, ranging from litigation to enforce the registration and anti-purge provisions of the National Voter Registration Act to case brought under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to stop suppressive tactics to racial gerrymander cases.
HOW: Please RSVP to Sue Dorfman, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law at sdorfman@lawyerscommittee.org or call 202-662-8327.
Dial in information TBA.
WHY: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece federal legislation, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnsonon August 6, 1965. Intended to implement the protections of the 14thand 15thAmendments, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act remains one of the most potent weapons that racial and ethnic minorities possess to stop discrimination in voting.
