brennan center for justice

August 9, 2013 - Facing a legal challenge under the Voting Rights Act over its redistricting maps, the Lone Star State argues that its racism isn't flagrant enough to be of concern.

August 8, 2013 - The broad election changes bill passed by the North Carolina legislature and awaiting the governor's signature has a number of provisions worrying to voting rights advocates. But among the most troubling are those that expand the powers of poll observers and election challengers, whose efforts take place in the context of the state's struggles with racism.

June 12, 2013 - With the high court expected to hand down a ruling soon on the constitutionality of the key section of the landmark civil rights law, a new report warns of what could come to pass if Section 5 is weakened or eliminated altogether.

May 31, 2013 - Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell unveiled a plan this week to automatically restore voting rights to nonviolent felons in a state where one in five African-American adults is disenfranchised due to an unusually harsh law. Civil rights advocates praised the move, but some say the governor should go further.

November 5, 2012 - A new report from the Brennan Center for Justice examines recount procedures in 10 key tipping point states for the presidential election. With polls showing President Obama and Mitt Romney in a virtual deadlock nationally, those procedures may be an important factor in determining the winner.

October 31, 2012 - Voting rights advocates have successfully pushed back against state laws that aimed to restrict voter participation -- and that means far fewer people will be disenfranchised this year than feared. But voters in some states still face new restrictions.

July 31, 2012 - While the courts decide the fate of South Carolina's restrictive voter ID law, the state's election agency is in limbo when it comes to implementing any ID equipment for its offices or a statewide outreach effort for affected voters.