Politics
April 22, 2021 -
Delayed census results, GOP control of Southern legislatures, and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act could lead to unfair new legislative and congressional election maps across the region, according to a new report from the nonprofit RepresentUs. Voting rights advocates say the solution lies in Congress passing the For the People Act.
April 22, 2021 -
A Mississippi city challenged a medical marijuana amendment that was overwhelmingly approved by the state's voters last year because of how the signatures to put it on the ballot were counted. A ruling in its favor would also end a new campaign to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, along with any future amendment efforts.
April 21, 2021 -
Amid an unprecedented onslaught of legislation to restrict voting nationwide, legislatures across the South have also taken up measures that would make voting easier — and some of them have already passed into law.
April 20, 2021 -
Georgia lawmakers passed a slew of voting restrictions last month that put an especially heavy burden on young and Black people. The best hope to ensure the survival of democracy is for Congress to pass the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
April 9, 2021 -
A growing number of companies are publicly condemning discrimination against transgender people and taking steps to support trans employees. But some of the same businesses are also funding Southern politicians promoting policies harmful to the transgender community. One standout is AT&T, the telecom giant headquartered in Dallas — also the top corporate contributor to state lawmakers seeking to restrict voting rights.
April 8, 2021 -
The Texas legislature may consolidate the state's appeals courts, where Democrats have gained seats in recent elections — and watchdogs say the changes could violate the Voting Rights Act. The plan is being pushed by a big business group that has spent nearly $1 million to back GOP judicial candidates. A new West Virginia appeals court also had the support of big business.
April 8, 2021 -
Inspired by the historic organizing work that's transformed Georgia politics over the past decade, nonprofits in the Carolinas, Louisiana, and Tennessee are taking their own unique approaches to increasing voter participation in their states.
