08-24-21
Contact: Sarah Abel
Phone: 202-225-5506
Rep. Ron Kind Votes for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to Protect Access to the Ballot Box
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Ron Kind voted for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This bill would help safeguard voting rights by restoring and strengthening key protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) that were gutted by the Supreme Court in the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision.
“The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and must be protected. That’s why I was proud to cosponsor and vote for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “This legislation upholds the legacy of my dear friend John Lewis, who fought to make sure all Americans have equal access to the ballot box, and moves us one step closer to restoring the Voting Rights Act to its full strength.”
For decades, the VRA protected the right to vote by requiring states and localities with a history of voter discrimination to obtain pre-clearance before making changes to their voting laws. In the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, the Supreme Court gutted this section of the VRA by invalidating its jurisdictional coverage formula and triggered a wave of new legislation that makes it more difficult for Americans to vote. So far this year, lawmakers have introduced 389 bills with restrictive provisions in 48 states. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore protections of the VRA which prohibit states and localities with a recent history of voter discrimination from restricting the right to vote.
