We desperately need a " private right to action " to protect voting rights. All that phrase means is that we, the people, can bring forward a lawsuit ourselves when we see wrongdoing in our elections.
This 8th Circuit decision strips us of that -- in a world where most legal action around voting rights comes from groups like ours and our partners, not from the U.S. Department of Justice(DOJ). And we're about to face four years of DOJ's Civil Rights division facing attacks from a hostile presidential administration.
There's so much at risk, John. RUSH $25 or more right now so we have the resources we need to fight rulings like this one and protect our right to vote across the country >> [[link removed]]
AP: Federal appeals court deals a blow to Voting Rights Act, ruling that private plaintiffs can’t sue [[link removed]]
John,
We're still assessing the consequences of this election, but this ruling by the federal 8th Circuit stands out like a sore thumb. It's one of the most dangerous anti-voter rulings we’ve seen in years .
If you missed the details, the impact is pretty simple to understand: In the eight states impacted by the ruling, voters and voting rights organizations can no longer sue to overturn unjust laws under the Voting Rights Act. According to the 8th Circuit, only the Department of Justice (DoJ) has the legal standing to sue states over voting laws.
Whether the nomination for former Congressman Matt Gaetz goes through for Attorney General or we get stuck with another anti-voting MAGA acolyte, do any of us really think that the DOJ is going to protect voting rights over the next four years?
John, we have to fight this ruling and make sure voters and advocacy groups have the right to defend voting rights in court. Please pitch in $25 or whatever you can to make every vote count, either at the ballot box or in court >> [[link removed]]
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This is all about the legal term "private right of action". The 8th Circuit says it doesn't exist. That means the pro-voting lawsuits we've seen in states like Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, and others nationwide wouldn't be possible anymore if the Supreme Court backs up this ruling.
We won’t sugarcoat this: This could be a crushing blow to many voting rights organizations across the country, ourselves included. If this ruling is not overturned by a higher court, it could unravel all of the great work pro-voting organizations are doing across the country — and allow dozens of unjust, unconstitutional voter restrictions to stand.
Attacks like this on what remains of the Voting Rights Act are going to get worse over the next few years. As voter suppression laws become increasingly targeted and oppressive , our work to combat them must become smarter, stronger, and more accessible to everyone.
We can't do this alone. Help defend our right to vote with $25 or however much you can today and make every voice heard in our elections >> [[link removed]]
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Integrity First Voter Action Project is dedicated to expanding ballot access and increasing voter participation across the country.
Since the Supreme Court gutted key provisions in the Voting Rights Act, extreme politicians have taken advantage to pass harsh laws that restrict access to the ballot box. These restrictions particularly affect disadvantaged communities and people of color. It’s our goal to bring awareness to these laws wherever they may crop up and organize voters to take action to ensure the right to vote is available to everyone in their states and communities.
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