VOTING RIGHTS
Advocating for Voters
SCSJ is committed to reducing barriers to the ballot box and making the freedom to vote safe and accessible. SCSJ also supports full access to the ballot for all incarcerated or formerly-incarcerated voters.
As Southern state legislatures increase their attacks on democracy, SCSJ is increasing our support for advocacy, communications, and education initiatives to combat voter suppression while continuing to bring litigation where warranted. In conjunction with our election protection efforts, we work to ensure voters of color can participate in the political process freely and safely. Election protection and election administration must be a focus every year, not just in election years. Furthermore, simply reacting to bad policies is not enough — we must remain proactive in defense of voter rights.
Voter Registration Types
Online Voter Registration (OVR) makes registration more convenient for voters, saves money for states, and leads to voter rolls that are more accurate and secure. In the more than two-thirds of states that have passed and implemented OVR, voters can register, verify, and update their registration records all online, leading to a more streamlined experience for both voters and the state and encouraging civic participation among new voters, especially young people.
Same-Day Registration (SDR) is one of the most powerful tools for enfranchising and protecting voters. SDR facilitates voting among voters who move frequently, creates a safety net for voters who may have been inadvertently removed from the rolls, and provides a convenient last-minute registration opportunity for all voters. In North Carolina, the one Southern state that allows it, SDR is utilized by Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike, as well as by every single age group and by several racial and ethnic groups across the state. SOLVE members across the South support SDR as an important enfranchisement tool and one that especially supports voting among young people, communities of color, and others who face barriers to the ballot box.
Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) is a powerful answer to registration challenges, allowing for the automatic registration of every voter during interactions with the DMV or other government agencies. In states that have already approved AVR, registration rates are significantly higher than they were before the policy was implemented, the cost of voter registration has decreased substantively, and voter rolls are more accurate and secure.
Language minorities often face multiple and significant barriers to voting, a reality that is exacerbated by the frequent lack of assistance for these voters at the polls. It is critical to ensure that all election materials — from registration forms and the ballot to signage at the polls — be translated into any language spoken by non-native English-speaking communities in any given precinct.
Eliminating Barriers to Voting Access
Voter identification laws are just one of many strategies to roll back decades of progress on voting rights, especially in Southern states. Thirty-four states have identification requirements at the polls. Of the seven states that have strict photo ID laws, under which voters must present one of a limited set of forms of government-issued photo ID in order to cast a regular ballot – no exceptions, the majority are in the South.
Voting Rights Restoration
People with past convictions face lifetime barriers to employment, housing, education, driver’s licenses, and other pathways to opportunity. These barriers make it difficult for returning citizens to achieve what we all seek: to support ourselves and our families, lead fulfilling lives, and positively contribute to our communities. Removing obstacles to opportunity not only allows returning citizens to move forward with their lives, but also improve public safety and economic prosperity across the South.
Resources like the Clean Slate Toolkit provide guidance for individuals seeking expungement, helping people restore their voting rights.
Combatting Voter Suppression News
Fifth Circuit Court Rules That Galveston Minority Voting Coalitions Are Not Protected Under Voting Rights Act
The ruling states that the 2021 redistricting map, previously called a “textbook” case of racial gerrymandering, is not in violation of the Voting Rights Act. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (August 2, 2024) — Yesterday, the en banc United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, overruled decades of Voting Rights Act (VRA) precedent to reverse our clients’…
Read More Fifth Circuit Court Rules That Galveston Minority Voting Coalitions Are Not Protected Under Voting Rights Act
SCSJ Brief Outlines Supreme Court Case Against Racist Voter ID Law
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2022 Raleigh, N.C. (March 11, 2022) — The Southern Coalition for Social Justice and pro bono counsel from the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, filed a brief to the North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, making the case against the state’s voter ID law. Click here…
Read More SCSJ Brief Outlines Supreme Court Case Against Racist Voter ID Law