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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Camila Gallardo
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259
Weakened Voting Rights Act Emboldens Voter Suppression Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NCLR and a member of its Affiliate Network, Latin American Coalition, denounced the enactment of a new North Carolina voter reform law that would require potential voters to show photo identification at the polls and eliminates the ability to register to vote on Election Day—both actions that stand to make it more difficult for eligible citizens to vote. The bill, signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory on Monday, comes just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act which provides the formula for which to identify geographical regions in the country with histories of minority voter disenfranchisement. These identified jurisdictions must have their electoral laws precleared by the Justice Department or a three-judge panel from the D.C. Circuit Court; absent congressional action to develop and pass legislation outlining a new formula to replace the one struck down by Supreme Court ruling, states with previously covered areas have been able to enact measures that could have been ruled discriminatory. North Carolina had 40 counties that were subject to preclearance.
“Congress needs to act now because inaction leaves a severely weakened Voting Rights Act that is fostering increased voter disenfranchisement. We’ve seen it in Florida and now in North Carolina. At a time when we should be doing everything in our power to help eligible Americans vote, these laws take us backward. It is unacceptable, and immediate action is imperative to prevent more attempts to limit democracy,” said Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director of Immigration and Civic Engagement at NCLR.
In 2012, NCLR and the Latin American Coalition worked to register eligible Latino voters in North Carolina. According to Census figures, the Latino population in the state nearly doubled from 2000 to 2010, growing from 4.71 percent of the state’s population to 8.39 percent.
"This is the worst anti-voting law in the nation, rolling back years of reforms that have boosted our state’s voter turnout, especially among young and Latino voters," said Jess George, Executive Director of the Latin American Coalition. "We will be working with partners around the state to increase awareness of the impact of this radical and regressive law."
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
The Latin American Coalition is a community of Latin Americans, immigrants and allies that promotes full and equal participation of all people in the civic, economic and cultural life of North Carolina through education, celebration and advocacy. http://www.latinamericancoalition.org
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