Civil Rights Coalition Praises Supreme Court’s Decision to Protect Freedom to Vote, Renews Call for Congressional Action to Restore the Voting Rights Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mattie Goldman, [email protected]
WASHINGTON — Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan:
“For democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all. At a time when too many politicians are trying to make it harder for people of color to choose who will serve them in office, this decision affirms the basic rights enshrined in our Constitution. Our leaders do not get to choose their voters. A majority of the Supreme Court followed its precedent and protected Black voters in Alabama, upholding protections for all voters of color. By upholding Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, it has acknowledged the very real discrimination voters of color face across the nation. This is an important step towards ensuring our communities have the power to elect the leaders of their choice, and we have more work to do to protect voting rights.
“Almost exactly 10 years ago, the Court gutted another key provision of the Voting Rights Act (Section 5) in Shelby County v. Holder. We will continue to call upon Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act to prevent racial discrimination in voting so that we can build a multiracial democracy that works for all of us.”
Along with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights filed a “friend of the court” brief in Allen v. Milligan.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 250 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.
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