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John, Here at the NDRC, we’re proud of the fact that this year’s congressional maps are, by and large, fairer than the maps from the last decade. But a big factor working in our favor has been the willingness of the courts to enforce critical portions of the Voting Rights Act that stop states from using election laws to discriminate against minority voters. But, Republicans are tired of playing by the rules. So rather than accepting the rulings of the courts and drawing maps that enable communities of color to elect candidates of their choice, the GOP is asking the Supreme Court to change the rules to suit its anti-democratic agenda. In Merrill v. Caster, SCOTUS will consider whether Alabama should be allowed to proceed with a gerrymandered map that includes just a single congressional district out of seven that allows Black voters to elect a candidate of choice. With Black voters making up more than a fourth of Alabama’s population, these maps are clearly discriminatory — and two federal courts have agreed so far. But with a far-right majority that’s proven time and time again it’s willing to disregard clearly established precedent, we can’t count on SCOTUS to do the right thing. The good news is the NDRC has a plan to defend our democracy that doesn’t depend on the Supreme Court. As A.G. Holder has said, “The power to bring about this positive change rests in all our hands.” That’s why we’re working on a comprehensive strategy to defend our democracy, including our support of pro-democracy candidates in battleground states across the country who are committed to defending the right to vote and bringing an end to GOP gerrymandering, no matter what the Supreme Court decides in this and other cases. But in order to do it, we need your help. The voter protection and mobilization work we and our affiliates are doing across the country takes a tremendous amount of resources, and grassroots donations are a critical part of our efforts. And with the November elections drawing closer and closer, we’re counting on supporters like you to help us keep it up. The GOP has become too extreme and the stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines, John. If you can, please pitch in today to help the NDRC keep up our work to defend voting rights and protect our democracy:
— Team NDRC
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