John,

Sixty years ago, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) was signed into law. It was a hard-fought victory that advanced and defended the voting rights of Black and Brown communities. This landmark legislation became the crown jewel of the Civil Rights Movement. Since then, the VRA has been a shining pillar of our democracy and what we can accomplish through collective action.

But over the last few decades, Republicans and far-right extremists have launched a coordinated effort to dismantle this critical source of voting protection.

In 2013, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County gutted a key portion of the Voting Rights Act, effectively nullifying Section 5 — a critical tool to prevent states with a history of racial discrimination from enacting discriminatory voting laws.

Under Section 5, these states were required to receive preclearance before passing new election laws. Eliminating this check opened the door for a new wave of voter suppression laws across the country — and it took only minutes following the Shelby decision for gerrymandered legislatures across the country to start passing those discriminatory laws.

We have a tough fight ahead of us. Yet we remain hopeful, John.

In 2023, in Allen v. Milligan , the Supreme Court rejected Alabama Republicans’ attempt to further undermine the VRA when it refused to invalidate Section 2 of the VRA, a provision that prohibits lawmakers from diluting the political power of communities of color. By rejecting Alabama’s effort to cut away at Section 2, the Court helped ensure that the VRA will continue to protect the voting power of marginalized voters and make our democracy more representative, and fairer.

Still, too many politicians across the country are determined to hold on to unearned power by restricting and undermining the right to vote. That’s why today, the VRA is at its most vulnerable point as Republicans and Trump abuse their power to engage in extreme partisan and racial gerrymandering. Right now, they’ve proposed a congressional map that would eliminate five Democratic seats in Texas, threatening to deprive thousands of voters of the chance to elect leaders who truly represent them.

As we honor the history of the VRA, we must recommit ourselves to keep fighting for fair maps and free elections. Because this is a fight that requires all of us.

Sincerely,
Marina

Marina Jenkins
Executive Director of the NDR PAC

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