This Wednesday brought good news for tens of thousands of Iowans — voting rights restoration.
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[INSIDER]
Iowans with Past Criminal Convictions Can Vote
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On Wednesday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order restoring voting rights to Iowans with former convictions. This marks a new era — now no state has a policy of permanently and categorically banning people with former convictions from voting. The practice of disenfranchising people with criminal convictions comes from Jim Crow laws. It is time for us to eradicate all vestiges of that shameful era.
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Trump Called for Delaying the Election. This Is a Rejection of Our Democracy.
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Americans have voted during times of emergency throughout history. While the Civil War raged in 1864, through the influenza pandemic of 1918, during World War II when thousands of voters were fighting overseas, and even in 2004 while we were on high alert for terrorist attacks. The consistency of the election schedule means a commitment to our democracy and our voting rights. As President Lincoln said, “We can not have free government without elections; and if the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us.” We won’t be conquered.
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Yes, Even the Boston Marathon Bomber Deserved Unbiased Jurors
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Nowhere was the hatred for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev stronger than in Massachusetts, making it extremely difficult for him to get a fair trial in the state. But last week a new federal appeals court ruling overturned his death sentence, strengthening fair trial rights for defendants. This constitutional right has been severely weakened over the years, but this ruling breathes new life into it again
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The Media Gladiator Fight to Name the Winner on Election Night Is Dangerous
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Every four years on election night, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC rush to deliver the results to eager viewers — sometimes at the expense of complete data. This year, with the pandemic and hundreds of thousands of expected mail-in ballots to be counted, the final tally will take longer than we’re used to. But it has to be this way.
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Covid-19 Is Turning Prison Terms into Death Sentences
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One month before the coronavirus outbreak at California’s San Quentin State Prison, officials turned down free Covid-19 testing for incarcerated individuals. As of July 30, 19 people there have died from the virus. Overcrowding, limited access to healthcare, and high numbers of elderly and at-risk individuals are some of the many reasons prisons have become hotspots for the virus. But very few states are taking the necessary steps to dramatically reduce their prison populations and protect those in prisons. Unless something changes, we will continue to see our worst predictions play out in prisons around the country
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Undercover Police at Protests Means a Freeze on First Amendment Rights
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The protests that followed the murder of George Floyd have seen an all-out assault on Americans’ rights. In addition to proving protesters’ point that law enforcement’s use of excessive force is out of control, the infiltration and monitoring of protests by undercover officers has a chilling effect on First Amendment rights. Fear of plainclothes police spying on activists, the danger to undocumented immigrants because of ICE’s attendance, and resulting distrust of one’s fellow protesters all discourage would-be marchers from participating. Undercover officers sometimes even initiate or enable violence between police and protesters, further escalating the already violent policing of dissent. Plainclothes police should be prohibited from attending protests.
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New York Passes Ban on Immigration Arrests at Courthouses
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Since 2017, ICE officers have made common practice of arresting people at state and local courthouses who are appearing in court for reasons unrelated to immigration. Advocates have been fighting back, and they won a major victory last week when the New York State Legislature passed the Protect Our Courts Act. When this bill becomes law, ICE will be prohibited from arresting anyone going to or from a court proceeding, unless the officer has a warrant signed by a judge. With such a huge increase in these types of arrests under the Trump administration, New York and states with similar laws are leading the way for other jurisdictions to ensure everyone in their communities has safe access to justice
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This Is What Democracy Looks Like: The Movement for Voting Rights Restoration
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Thursday, Aug 13 | 6:00–7:00 p.m. EDT | This is a virtual event.
Criminal disenfranchisement laws strip voting rights from people with past convictions, excluding millions of Americans from participating in our democratic process. This event brings together advocates from California, Florida, Iowa, and Kentucky for a conversation about the recent developments around rights restoration in their states. RSVP today.
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Bad Ballots and Lost Votes: The Path to Better Ballot Design
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Tuesday, Aug 11 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. EDT | This is a virtual event.
A ballot is one of the most important tools of a functioning democracy, and yet poorly designed ballots continue to disenfranchise thousands of voters every year. What do ballot defects look like? And how can election officials remedy them? RSVP today.
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What We’re Reading
Eliza Sweren-Becker, counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy program, recommends the court order for Jamison v McClendon
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The order explores issues of equality and qualified immunity looking at the case of Clarence Jamison, who in 2013 was pulled over by a white police officer McClendon who proceeded to illegally search Jamison’s vehicle.
TAKE ACTION: Americans deserve a free, fair, and safe election — and we’re running out of time. The House recently passed the HEROES Act, which would provide the $3.6 billion in funding that local election officials desperately need. Sign our petition today to send this urgent message to Congress.
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We are experimenting with the format of this newsletter and are eager to know what you think of it. What would you like to see here? Email your thoughts to
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The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to reform, revitalize – and when necessary defend – our country’s systems of democracy and justice.
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
120 Broadway, Suite 1750
New York, NY 10271
T 646 292 8310
F 212 463 7308
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