Home : Voting Rights

ACLU Hails Hawai'i Supreme Court Ruling Invalidating Ballot Question As Unconstitutional (09/02/2005)
HONOLULU - The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i today cheered a decision by the state supreme court invalidating Ballot Question 1 of the 2004 general election because of significant procedural errors made by the state legislature.

ACLU Condemns U.S. Justice Department Decision to Approve Georgia Photo ID Law (08/26/2005)
ATLANTA - The American Civil Liberties Union today sharply criticized a decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to approve a new Georgia law that voting rights advocates say will discriminate against minority voters. The measure, H.B. 244, which was passed on March 31 and signed by Governor Sonny Perdue in April, reduces the various forms of identification that voters can use from 17 to six, and makes government-issued photo identification absolutely required in order to vote.

Federal Court Orders South Dakota to Comply with Voting Rights Act (08/19/2005)
RAPID CITY, SD-The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a federal court in South Dakota has issued a final ruling ordering the redrawing of legislative district lines to ensure there is no discrimination against Native American voters in 13 of the state's 66 counties. The order came in a case originally brought by the ACLU on behalf of four Native American voters in December 2001, after the South Dakota legislature redrew the boundaries of the state's 35 legislative districts.

Oklahomans Are Being Denied the Right to Vote Because of Misinformation, ACLU Charges (08/17/2005)
OKLAHOMA CITY-- A preview released today of a recent survey conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, in connection with the national Right to Vote Campaign, reveals that many Oklahoma counties do not know the state law on felony disfranchisement and are spreading bad information to eligible voters.

ACLU of Alaska Applauds Supreme Court Decision Upholding Political Parties' Right to Combine Primaries (08/12/2005)
ANCHORAGE -The American Civil Liberties Uion of Alaska today welcomed a state Supreme Court decision upholding the right of political parties in Alaska to conduct joint primaries.

On 40th Anniversary of Voting Rights Act, ACLU Says Law Still Needed; Renewal, Restoration Required to Protect Americans' Fundamental Right (08/05/2005)
WASHINGTON - On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the Voting Rights Act, the American Civil Liberties Union warned that if portions of the act are not renewed and restored, the fundamental right to vote could be jeopardized for millions of Americans. Sections of the historic law will expire in 2007 unless Congress acts to renew them.

ACLU Asks Court to Block Unconstitutional Election Plan in Montana (08/04/2005)
BILLINGS, MT -- The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit today on behalf of voters who say that the election plan for the city council is disproportionately drawn and dilutes the voting strength of thousands of citizens. The ACLU charges that the plan violates the ""one person, one vote"" principle of the U.S. Constitution, and is asking the court for a more equitable districting plan.

District Court Ruling in Quiver v. Nelson (07/14/2005)

Three-Judge Panel Rules Unanimously in Favor of Native American Voters in South Dakota (07/14/2005)
RAPID CITY, SD -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a panel of three federal court judges has issued an injunction against the state of South Dakota, ruling unanimously that state officials must comply with the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) and obtain prior approval from the Department of Justice before implementing a new law that the judges say ""gives the appearance of a rushed attempt to circumvent the VRA.""

Civil Rights Groups Urge Justice Department to Block Georgia Photo ID Law (07/08/2005)
ATLANTA -- More than two dozen civil rights, religious, labor and advocacy groups urged the Department of Justice to block implementation of a new Georgia law which they say will have a substantially negative ""racial impact"" on minority voters. The groups argue that the new photo identification requirements contained in Georgia House Bill 244 are unnecessary and were purposefully adopted to make minority voters worse off.