Elections and Voting

November 20, 2015 - A new report finds that where a voter lives is the single biggest factor in determining Election Day wait lines, with Southern states ranking among the worst. Another big factor is race, with African Americans on average waiting more than twice as long as whites. The report offers suggestions for how to fix the problem.

November 19, 2015 - Join us on Friday, Nov. 20 in Durham, North Carolina for an event with journalist Ari Berman, author of a widely-acclaimed book looking at the 50-year struggle to expand and defend the right to vote.

November 18, 2015 - Will exploiting fear of terrorism help North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory win what's expected to be a tough re-election battle? His campaign is giving it a try, issuing a fundraising appeal touting his call to bar Syrian refugees from his state over security concerns.

November 5, 2015 - A new study finds that candidates running for office nationwide are less diverse in terms of race and gender than the broader U.S. population. In the South, the situation is particularly dire for representation among women.

October 9, 2015 - Civil rights advocates warn that Alabama's plan to close 31 DMV offices where citizens can get an ID they need to vote disproportionately affects African Americans and therefore violates the U.S. Constitution and Voting Rights Act.

October 2, 2015 - A campaign is underway to pressure Congress to pass a law restoring a key civil rights law gutted by the Supreme Court two years ago. Citizens recently marched thousands of miles to press their case with elected officials in Washington, with one march leader giving the last days of his life to the cause.

September 25, 2015 - September marks National Voter Registration Month, created to draw attention to the importance of voter registration. The registration process is currently hindered by outdated technology, particularly in the South, but modernization efforts are making headway.