Here are some updates from the last few days you may have missed.
Louisiana’s Map Likely Dilutes the Voting Strength of Black Voters -
Yesterday, a federal judge temporarily blocked Louisiana’s congressional map for the 2022 election cycle. The judge agreed with the plaintiffs that Louisiana’s current map likely violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by diluting the voting strength of Black voters. The judge found that the Black population in Louisiana is sufficiently large and geographically compact to constitute a majority in two congressional districts (the current map gives Black voters a majority in only one out of six districts). Find all the details and court documents here.
|
-
The judge also rejected the defendants’ claims that it was too late in the election cycle to adopt a new map, noting that Louisiana’s congressional primaries are scheduled for November (Louisiana has a unique primary election system). However, the defendants have already appealed this decision to the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Arizona Court Rejects (For the Second Time) Attempts To Disband Mail-in Voting
Arizona Republicans tried, but failed once again, to overturn the state’s mail-in voting system. Yesterday, a state trial court judge rejected the argument advanced by the Arizona Republican Party and its chairwoman that the Arizona Constitution requires in-person voting on specific days, consequently making mail-in voting unconstitutional. Learn more about what the judge said here.
|
-
Since 1991, Arizona has allowed any voter to cast a mail-in ballot. In the 2020 election, 89% of Arizonans voted early, predominantly with mail-in ballots. This was Republicans’ second failed attempt to disband this popular, long-standing practice via litigation.
New York Legislature Passes State-level Voting Rights Act -
Last Thursday, the New York Legislature passed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, a state-level bill to protect and expand voting access. The centerpiece of the bill would restore important legal protections that mirror the section of the federal VRA gutted by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. The bill awaits the signature of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). Read more here.
Can’t get enough news? You can always find more updates on our Alerts page.
Thanks for staying in the fight, Team Democracy Docket |
