U.S. House Passes HR 4, A Positive Step Forward In Protecting The Vote
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Valerie Street
valerie@txprogressiveaction.com
Austin, TX - Today, members of the U.S. House of Representatives made the pivotal first step in passing HR 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, and in protecting the vote by restoring key protections that voters in Texas, and the nation as a whole, have gone without since the gutting of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder.
The legislation empowers the federal government to prevent harmful voting rights violations before they impact voters, by requiring federal preclearance of laws passed that alter the voting process’ in states and localities with a history of voting rights violations. This legislation is designed to address the evidence of modern day barriers between the people and our vote.
“Voter suppression tactics are alive and well in Texas, as they are elsewhere in this country. It is necessary that our lawmakers protect the vote and reject the notion that democracy is something we should ever grow complacent about defending. HR 4 will now move on to the U.S. Senate and we will continue to advocate for its progression and support.” - Valerie Street, President of Texas Progressive Action Network
Some of the things HR 4 does include:
Creating a new coverage formula that hinges on a finding of repeated voting rights violations in the preceding 25 years.
Significantly, the 25-year period is measured on a rolling basis to keep up with “current conditions,” so only states and political subdivisions that have a recent record of racial discrimination in voting are covered.
States and political subdivisions that qualify for preclearance will be covered for a period of 10 years, but if they establish a clean record during that time period, they can be extracted from coverage.
Establishing “practice-based preclearance,” a targeted process for reviewing voting changes in jurisdictions nationwide focused on measures that have historically been used to discriminate against voters of color. The process for reviewing changes in voting is limited to a set of practices, including:
Changes to the methods of elections (to or from at-large elections) in areas that are racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse;
Reductions in language assistance;
Annexations changing jurisdictional boundaries in areas that are racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse;
Redistricting in areas that are racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse;
Reducing, consolidating, or relocating polling locations in areas that are racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse; and
Changes in documentation or requirements to vote or register.
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Texas Progressive Action Network is a people powered nonprofit committed to advancing voter education and good public policy in Texas through advocacy and outreach.
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Texas Progressive Action Network
https://www.txprogressiveaction.com/
https://twitter.com/TX_PAN