Politics

June 28, 2023 - Over the past few years, the number of attempted book bans has skyrocketed, going hand-in-hand with proposed laws to limit what can be taught in classrooms. The book titles most often targeted are those written by people of color and LGBTQ+ authors, and those featuring discussions of race, gender, and sexual orientation. In this Voices piece, we share a recent speech given by civil rights veteran Judy Richardson on the necessity of truth telling and teaching in the face of book censorship.

May 25, 2023 - A new report from the Movement Advancement Project ranks the states on their risk for election denialism and finds that more than a few states in the South are vulnerable to attempts to overturn the will of the voters. It also highlights policies that can protect elections from deniers.

May 25, 2023 - The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear an appeal of a ruling that ordered South Carolina to redraw its congressional map after a lower court found it discriminated against Black voters. The ruling could leave communities of color with fewer protections against racial discrimination in elections.

May 12, 2023 - In a rare procedural move, North Carolina’s Republican-controlled high court reversed a ruling blocking voter identification requirements made just five months earlier by the previous Democratic-controlled court. The law requiring voters to show certain kinds of photo ID at the polls will be implemented as soon as this September’s municipal elections, and elections officials and voting rights advocates are getting ready.

May 12, 2023 - Some states have taken steps to restore voting rights for people with felony convictions, but Republican officials in places including Florida and North Carolina later reversed the reforms. Proponents of permanent disenfranchisement say it promotes respect for the law, but a growing body of evidence suggests that such policies make their targets more likely to break it again.

May 11, 2023 - Ben Barber interviewed UNC law professor and anti-poverty scholar Gene Nichol about his new book, “Lessons from North Carolina: Race, Religion, Tribe, and the Future of America,” which offers insights from North Carolina politics aimed at countering the nationwide assault on democratic norms and values.

April 27, 2023 - A MAGA attorney from North Carolina recently asked attendees at a Republican donor retreat in Tennessee for help to curb student voting. A look at the role young voters played in recent elections shows why conservatives are worried.