WASHINGTON— On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling in the case of Shelby County v. Holder which struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act. The America Votes Senior Leadership Team issued the following statement ahead of the 10th anniversary of the ruling:

“One decade after the Supreme Court’s disastrous ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, the need for a renewed and strengthened Voting Rights Act is greater than ever. We have now seen 10 years of evidence of states acting to suppress voting rights, proving that not all Americans have equal access to the ballot without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act.

“By striking down section 4(b) and making section 5 of the VRA unenforceable, the court opened the door for states to make it more difficult for Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote – and as expected, conservative states have pushed through suppressive policies ever since. Voter ID laws, limited polling hours, and restricted polling locations are clearly intended to make it more difficult to vote and have disproportionately impacted voters of color whom Congress passed the VRA to protect.

“While voters in some states now have more opportunities to cast their ballots because of expanded early voting and vote by mail options, many Americans face unnecessary barriers designed to prevent them from making their voices heard. Since this decision was made, conservative elected officials have been working to select their voters instead of allowing the voters to fairly choose their elected officials. By passing suppressive laws and drawing racially gerrymandered maps with surgical precision, many states are diluting the power of votes from communities of color or disenfranchising these voters altogether.

“The court’s ruling in Shelby undermined the cornerstone of American democracy which is the ability of every American to cast their vote and have it fairly counted. This ruling never should have been handed down 10 years ago, and it must not stand any longer. We need to elect more voting rights champions to Congress and then demand they swiftly act to reinstate the full protections of the Voting Rights Act for all Americans, protecting our fundamental right to vote.”

The America Votes Senior Leadership Team is: Greg Speed, President; Sara Schreiber, Executive Director; Daria Dawson, Deputy Executive Director & National Political Director; Heidi Schloesser, Chief Operating Officer; Daniel Gonzales, National Director of Research and Program Innovation; Evan Kost, National Director of Investor Strategy and Program Advisor; Shabab Siddiqui, Director of Data and Targeting; and Josiette White, National Field Director. 

America Votes is the central coordination hub of the progressive community both nationally and in more than 20 states across the country, working with more than 400 state and national partner organizations to advance progressive policies, win elections, and protect every American’s right to vote.