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Decision in Brnovich v. DNC

Published on 7/1/2021

Statement by the League of Women Voters of Arizona issued July 1, 2021:

The freedom to vote is the promise of democracy for all.  The Supreme Court decision in Brnovich v. DNC is a betrayal of this promise. The Supreme Court had an opportunity to protect our freedom to vote at a critical moment in our history.  Instead of protecting the freedom to vote for all citizens, this decision equated the unproven lies about the integrity of our elections with the real discrimination voters in Arizona face, especially Latino, Native American, Black, and Asian American voters.  

The Supreme Court’s acknowledgement of the burden that discriminatory laws place on minority voters is disingenuous, as it failed to protect minority voters. This decision emboldens the Arizona Legislature to pass even more restrictive, anti-voter laws which will continue to place a heavier burden on minority voters in making their voices heard in local, state, and federal elections.
The Supreme Court didn’t just uphold Arizona’s policies – it did major damage to the Voting Rights Act. Compounding the damage done in its 2013 Shelby County decision, the Court has now further undermined the Voting Rights Act by creating new obstacles to challenging discriminatory policies. 

The LWV of Arizona urges Congress to deliver on the promise of democracy for all and buttress voting rights by fully restoring the Voting Rights Act and passing the historic legislation of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act.  We call on Arizona Senators Krysten Sinema and Mark Kelly to do what they were elected to do and stand on the right side of history and ensure passage of historic legislation that will deliver on the promise of democracy for all.  

The LWV of Arizona urges Arizona voters to come together to ensure that Congress does its job by representing the will of the people by protecting the freedom to vote.