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Congressmen Mondaire Jones of New York and Ruben Gallego of Arizona have introduced the Inclusive Elections Act of 2021, legislation to restore Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bars states and localities from adopting election laws that disparately burden the voting rights of people of color and linguistic minorities.
The bill comes just hours after the Supreme Court’s devastating decision in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, which carved loopholes into the law that significantly reduce its power to stop voter suppression.
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was the crown jewel of the Civil Rights movement, but over the past decade, the Roberts Court has staged an all-out assault on the VRA, culminating in today’s Brnovich decision,” said Congressman Jones.
“At a time when the voting rights of Black and brown Americans are under attack to a degree not seen since Jim Crow, protecting the sacred right to vote is more important than ever.”
The Inclusive Elections Act of 2021 would undo the Supreme Court’s destructive decision by outlawing discriminatory voter suppression laws like the ones the Court just upheld in Arizona.”
In a 6-3 ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld an Arizona policy that requires provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct to be discarded. The second measure outlaws “ballot harvesting,” or having third parties deliver ballots for others.
“Democracy is under attack by state legislatures across the country, including in Arizona. The right of every American to have equal access to the ballot – regardless of their race or political orientation – is critical to a functioning democracy. The Supreme Court trampled on that right today by upholding two Arizona laws that make it harder to vote for Latino, Black, and Native American communities in particular,” said Congressman Ruben Gallego.
“Our very democracy is at stake in this fight, and Congress must act. I’m proud to introduce this bill with Congressman Jones to protect voters of color from discrimination and help restore the foundation of our democracy.”
