Voting Rights Litigation Today: Strategies for Moving from Voter Suppression to Election Protection

Across the country, and especially in the Deep South, a concerted assault on voting rights is taking place. Since the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 - one of the most successful pieces of civil rights legislation designed to increase voter registration, turnout, and fair electoral schemes - we have seen a proliferation of policies that do just the opposite. Georgia and Florida have passed severe voter restrictions following the historic 2020 elections, Alabama has enacted onerous photo ID requirements, counties continue to close polling places at an alarming rate, and state legislators in general are erecting burdensome voter eligibility requirements. The Supreme Court also has upheld extreme forms of partisan gerrymandering and approved of discriminatory voter purge procedures. In response, the Southern Poverty Law Center and partner organizations have mounted a massive campaign to challenge these regressive policies, improve access to the ballot box, and demand government accountability. This course will address these issues and many more as we gear up for the 2021 redistricting cycle and 2022 mid-term election season.

 
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the key federal voting rights cases recently decided or currently before the federal courts, including a pending decision before the Supreme Court regarding the Voting Rights Act's scope of coverage

2. Discuss legal theories and strategies from plaintiffs' and defendants' perspectives in litigating these kinds of cases

3. Suggest techniques for incorporating civic education and media tools in shaping the public narrative around voting as a right rather than a privilege