American Civil Liberties Union

The ACLU's Voting Rights Project has worked to protect the gains in political participation won by racial and language minorities since the 1965 passage of the Voting Rights Act.


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Voting Rights : General : Press Releases

Appeals Court Postpones California Recall Election Until State Can Correct "Punch Card" Voting Machines (09/15/2003)
LOS ANGELES - In a victory for California voters, a federal appeals court today ordered the postponement of the state's recall election until all counties complete the transition away from faulty and decertified "punch card" voting machines.

Federal Appeals Court Agrees to Speed ACLU's Request For Hearing on "Punch Card" Voting Machines Case (08/28/2003)
LOS ANGELES - The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California said today that the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has granted its request for an expedited hearing in the "punch card" voting machines case.

ACLU of Southern CA Appeals Punch Card Voting Case, Saying Error-Prone Machines Will Lead to Voter Disenfranchisement and "Florida-Style" Election Debacle (08/27/2003)
LOS ANGELES - The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California today asked a federal appeals court to review a lower court's refusal to postpone the October 7 gubernatorial recall election until all of the state's outmoded "punch card" voting machines can be replaced.

ACLU Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Use of Obsolete "Punch Card" Voting Machines in California Recall Election (08/07/2003)
LOS ANGELES - With a gubernatorial recall election pending in the state, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California today filed a lawsuit challenging the continued use of outdated, obsolete voting machines in counties with high concentrations of minority voters.

In Georgia Case, Supreme Court Allows States Some Leeway in Redistricting Areas With Large Minority Populations (06/26/2003)
ATLANTA--The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the Supreme Court's decision in Georgia v. Ashcroft-a case involving the state's legislative redistricting plan-but expressed some disappointment with the Court's reading of a federal law which may hinder minority voters seeking to elect a candidate of their own race.

Federal Court in Maryland Affirms Right of Houseboat Resident to Run for Political Office (06/23/2003)
BALTIMORE -- Ending an unusual election rights case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal district court judge today ruled that a man living on a houseboat in Port Deposit can vote and run for public office in that town.

ACLU of Hawaii Challenges Results of Misleading Ballot Initiative in State Supreme Court (11/22/2002)
HONOLULU -- Saying that state officials here failed to follow prescribed procedures when presenting a ballot initiative to citizens, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today filed a lawsuit in state supreme court seeking to invalidate the result of the ratification vote on constitutional amendment Question 3 and prevent inclusion of the amendment in the state's Constitution.

South Dakota Settles Largest-Ever Voting Rights Lawsuit Brought by ACLU on Behalf of Native Americans (11/07/2002)
RAPID CITY, SD--After nearly 30 years of ignoring a federal law meant to protect Native Americans from voting discrimination, state and county officials here have agreed to obtain Justice Department approval of more than 600 statutes and regulations that affect elections in the state, the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project announced today.

ACLU of FL Urges Elections Supervisor to Ease Long Lines During Peak Voting Hours (11/05/2002)
MIAMI -- Saying that the potential for long lines in the Broward county voting district may discourage voters from casting their ballots, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today sent a letter asking the county elections supervisor to take steps to alleviate long lines in certain voting precincts.

After HI Court Denies Appeal on Misleading Ballot Initiative, ACLU Vows to Challenge Vote's Outcome (11/04/2002)
HONOLULU- The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today vowed to challenge the outcome of a misleading ballot initiative after the State Supreme Court declined to hear its emergency appeal and halt a vote on a hotly debated public referendum issue known as Question No. 3.

ACLU Urges Florida Voters to Call Toll-Free Hotline to Report Election Day Voting Problems (11/01/2002)
MIAMI -- In an effort to end illegal and discriminatory election practices in Florida, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today launched a toll-free complaint hotline to collect information regarding statewide voting problems resulting from the upcoming election next Tuesday.

Hawaii Court Orders Election Officials to Correct Misleading Text of Ballot Initiative (10/31/2002)
HONOLULU -- In a victory for Hawaii's voters, a circuit court judge today ordered the state Office of Elections to correct misleading or erroneous information about a public referendum issue known as Question No. 3 by publishing the question's full text in daily newspapers prior to Election Day and displaying it prominently at polling sites.

ACLU of Arkansas and ACLU Voting Rights Project Sue to Restore Voting Rights of College Students (10/25/2002)
LITTLE ROCK--Acting on behalf of the governor's daughter, among others, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas and the ACLU's National Voting Rights Project today filed a federal lawsuit to challenge a circuit judge's decision that college students and others already registered to vote in Clark County are unqualified to vote in the November 5 election.

ACLU of Hawaii Files Lawsuit to Halt Voting On Misleading Ballot Amendment (10/23/2002)
HONOLULU--The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today filed a lawsuit in state Circuit Court on behalf of two registered voters who allege that state voter education materials on a public referendum issue violates their fundamental right to vote because the materials are inaccurate and misleading.

ACLU Condemns Latest Florida Voting Fiasco, Warns November Elections Will Be Worse (09/11/2002)
MIAMI--After an election day rife with problems rivaling those of November 2000, the American Civil Liberties Union today roundly condemned Florida's failure to provide voters with a reliable voting system and warned that if the problems of yesterday are not corrected, November 2002 will be as bad as or worse than yesterday's chaotic election.

ACLU Challenges 100-Year-Old Kansas Law Limiting Ballot Access Based on Length of Political Party's Name (08/22/2002)
KANSAS CITY- The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri and the ACLU's Voting Rights Project today filed a federal lawsuit challenging a 100-year-old Kansas law -- the only one of its kind in the nation -- that unfairly restricts access to election ballots by limiting the names of political parties to two words, one of which must be ""party.""

Following ACLU Lawsuit, Court Reinstates RI Legislator's Name on the Primary Ballot (08/21/2002)
PROVIDENCE, RI-Following an appeal filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, a state supreme court judge today ordered that a legislator's name be placed back on the election ballot for the September 10th primary, saying that the Board of Elections had improperly disqualified her.

ACLU of RI Appeals Disqualification of State Legislator From Primary Election (08/19/2002)
PROVIDENCE, RI - - The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today filed an appeal to the state Supreme Court on behalf of a representative of the state legislature who was unfairly removed from the primary election ballot by the state Board of Elections.

ACLU of Hawaii Files Class-Action Lawsuit on Behalf Of Inmates Denied Right to Vote (07/22/2002)
HONOLULU--The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court on behalf of William Remmers Jr. and other pretrial detainees at Oahu Community Correctional Center who were denied their constitutional right to vote in the November 2000 elections. 

ACLU of Florida Urges Palm Beach Court to Safeguard Voters' Rights in Disputed Election (05/28/2002)
MIAMI --Seeking to safeguard the rights of local voters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today asked a Palm Beach court for permission to file a friend-of-the court brief in a pending lawsuit contesting the results of a March 26 run-off election. 

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