NETWORK Welcomes Voting Rights Decision as Step Forward for Voters of Color

For Immediate Release: June 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — Democracy won yesterday when the Supreme Court upheld the primacy of the Voting Rights Act over Alabama’s latest attempt to disenfranchise its Black population. NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice commends the Court’s decision in Allen v Milligan, affirming lower court decisions that Alabama’s recent Congressional map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting practices that discriminate based on race, color or language.

Laura Peralta-Schulte, NETWORK’s Senior Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, said:

“In this surprising reversal of its recent history of limiting voting rights, the 5-4 ruling effectively secures the right to vote for Black Alabamans and restores their power to choose their representatives through the electoral process. The decision also has potential implications for other southern states where redistricting maps have been or are being drawn that similarly disadvantage Black and Brown voters.”

Joan F. Neal, NETWORK’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer, said:

“While this decision does not undo the fallout from SCOTUS’ Shelby County v Holder ruling which gutted the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act, it is a step forward in halting the decades-long history of voter suppression and discrimination against voters of color, especially Black communities. Democracy won. Voting rights won. But we must continue to be vigilant so that all citizens enjoy their right to choose the leaders they want, and they and their families can live and thrive.”

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NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. With a 50-year record of accomplishment and more than 100,000 supporters across the country, NETWORK advocates for federal policies that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good.