Racial turnout gaps in voting exist even when accounting for differences in income and education. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
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Brennan Center for Justice
 
Doug Chayka
The difference between white and nonwhite turnout rates in elections has been consistently growing since at least 2008. That’s the blockbuster finding of a major new Brennan Center study. This racial voter turnout gap cannot be explained by differences in income or education. A key cause is the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which weakened the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racially discriminatory voting policies. The ruling opened the door for more than two dozen states to enact voter suppression laws, disproportionately impacting people of color. To achieve the vision of a truly representative American democracy, we need Congress to restore robust voting rights protections.
Last month, a bipartisan Wisconsin ethics committee found that an election-denying candidate coordinated with political party committees to illegally funnel money to his campaign for a state assembly seat in 2022. The race is a prime example of how wealthy donors are exploiting weak and poorly enforced campaign finance laws to boost the efforts of election deniers. Stopping schemes like these will require more sensible rules, stronger enforcement, and a public campaign financing system that lifts up the voices of ordinary Americans.
Since 2020, the spread of false election information has fueled anti-voter laws and public mistrust in elections. This year, amid advancements in artificial intelligence technology, rising foreign and domestic threats, and weaker safeguards against disinformation, the problem may be much worse. Governments, election officials, the media, and tech companies must step up to stem the tide of election lies.
Last month, Meta responded to calls for safeguards against deceptive deepfakes on Facebook and Instagram by announcing it will label AI-generated content. But there are several flaws in this system, including the fact that bad actors can easily circumvent Meta’s AI label by removing watermarks from digital content. In a new analysis, experts explain the weaknesses in watermarking standards and the stronger alternatives that the industry should be striving toward. Solutions like these are crucial to protecting our democracy from AI-powered disinformation threats.
Policymakers need to take concerns about shoplifting and other theft seriously. But effective solutions require a full understanding of the data, which is incomplete at best. Despite increased media attention on shoplifting and other kinds of retail theft, available data doesn’t support claims of a national surge. There are notable spikes in certain cities, including New York and Los Angeles, but the reasons why are complex. A new Brennan Center explainer details what we do and don’t know about trends in retail theft and underscores why policy responses need to be based on the facts.

 
BRENNAN CENTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
 

 
Events
 
VIRTUAL EVENT: The Missing Constitutional Right
NEXT WEEK: Wednesday, March 20, 3–4 p.m. ET
The right to vote is one of the foundations of democracy, yet it has never truly been available to all Americans. Author Richard Hasen argues in his new book, A Real Right to Vote, that a constitutional amendment would end tumultuous fights over the franchise for good. But could it be that simple? Join us for a live virtual event with Hasen and moderator Wilfred Codrington III in a discussion on how an amendment to the Constitution would enshrine the right to vote and what it would take to get there. RSVP today
 
Produced in partnership with the NYU John Brademas Center

 
 
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
120 Broadway, Suite 1750 New York, NY 10271
646-292-8310
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