Voting Rights

We support free and fair elections, unimpeded by partisan gerrymandering, systematic voter suppression, and poor election management.

in Rucho v Common Cause (2019), the Supreme Court ruled that it is powerless to hear challenges to partisan gerrymandering, the practice in which the party that controls the state legislature draws voting maps to help elect its candidates. As a result, both parties are free to continue engaging in this practice. According to the Center for American Progress [https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/news/2019/10/01/475166/impact-partisan-gerrymandering/], unfairly drawn congressional districts shifted, on average, a whopping 59 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2012, 2014, and 2016 elections. That means that every other November, 59 politicians that would not have been elected based on statewide voter support for their party won anyway because the lines were drawn in their favor—often by their allies in the Republican or Democratic Party.

The problem of partisan gerrymandering is exacerbated by systematic voter suppression. In Shelby County v Holder (2013), the Supreme Court enjoined enforcement of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had imposed federal supervision over districts with a history of voter suppression. States responded with a series of measures making it harder for Americans to register to vote or to exercise the franchise.

While some voter suppression measures actively seek to discriminate against certain groups, others result from administrative errors and mismanagement. Regardless of its form or intent, voter suppression has been relentlessly effective in preventing voting-eligible Americans from contributing to the electoral process. Litigation is generally time-consuming. As a result, objectionable measures often stay in place, fully intact and disenfranchising voters, for one or more election cycles before a court finally intervenes.

We believe the voting system should be simple, convenient, and fair for everyone. We support electoral system reform, including:

·        Electoral districts drawn by non-partisan commissions

·        Proposals to expand voter registration, including automatic voter registration, on-line voter registration, same-day voter registration, and due process requirements to ensure that eligible voters are not improperly purged from voting rolls

·        Proposals to make it easier to vote, such as early voting, including evenings and weekends, and absentee voting

·        Making election day a national holiday

·        Allocating appropriate funding and resources to every community to ensure that polling places are conveniently located, wait times are reasonable, and equipment is functional

·        Eliminating conflicts of interest by prohibiting candidates from overseeing their own elections

LINKS:

Voter Suppression During the 2018 Midterm Elections: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/11/20/461296/voter-suppression-2018-midterm-elections/

Voting Reform: https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/ensure-every-american-can-vote/voting-reform