Voting Rights Act of Virginia
Voting Rights Act of Virginia | |
---|---|
Virginia State Legislature | |
Full name | Voting Rights Act of Virginia |
Introduced | January 8, 2021 |
House voted | February 1, 2021 |
Senate voted | February 25, 2021 |
Sponsor(s) | Del. Marcis S. "Cia" Price; Sen. Jennifer McClellan |
Governor | Ralph Northam |
Website | lis.virginia.gov |
Status: Current legislation |
The Voting Rights Act of Virginia is a
Background
The Voting Rights Act is part of a surge of
The bill is also viewed in light of the
Alone among the states of the former
Election Day a state holiday and enacted automatic voter registration for anyone who receives a Virginia driver's license[d]...Ralph Northam this week (week of March 31, 2021) capped a multiyear liberal movement for greater ballot access by signing off on sweeping legislation to recreate pivotal elements of the federal Voting Rights Actthat were struck down by the Supreme Court's conservative majority in 2013.
As referenced in the last sentence, the bill is framed in particular as a direct, state-level response to the 2013
Key provisions
Prohibition of discriminatory voting laws
The Act prohibits racial discrimination or intimidation related to voting.[3] Specifically, the act states:
No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by the state or any locality in a manner that results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote based on race or color or membership in a language minority group.
It empowers the state
Preclearance
Inspired by the preclearance requirement in the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which required some states and other jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination in voting to clear any changes to election procedure with the federal government, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia requires local election officials to collect public feedback or receive advance approval from the state Attorney General before making changes to local elections.[1] More specifically, it would give localities the option of either asking the attorney general's office to sign off on any changes or publicizing the proposed change and allowing a public comment period of at least 30 days, followed by a 30-day waiting period in which any person potentially affected by the change would have the right to challenge it in court.[10] The measure is intended to prevent voter suppression efforts by local officials.[9]
Special accommodations
Minority language accessibility
The bill would require local election officials to provide voting materials in foreign languages if a sizable portion of the local population has a primary language that is not English (this is already required by US law for federal elections—this bill mandates it for local elections as well).[11][6]
Disability assistance
The bill mandates that people who have disabilities that make them unable to read or write must be provided assistance and allows voters who are over 65 or disabled to request and be brought a printed ballot outside of a polling location.[12]
Voter Outreach and Education Fund
The bill establishes the Voter Education and Outreach Fund, to be funded by penalties awarded as a result of voting discrimination.[8]
Legislative history
The Act (originally House Bill 1890) was introduced into the
On March 31, 2021, Governor
Reactions
The Act has been contrasted with
Republicans in both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate unanimously opposed the bill, arguing that it would inundate local election administrators with lawsuits and complicate routine changes to voting.[3] The Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties opposed the bill, contending that it could create burdensome new complications for minor election changes.[10] Some registrars worried the penalties for improperly discounting ballots could punish election workers for innocent errors made in a fast-paced and demanding work environment.[10]
See also
- Black suffrage in the United States
- Voter suppression in the United States
- Jim Crow
- Election Integrity Act of 2021
Notes
- ^ Outside of the south, California, Washington and Oregon have all enacted (narrower) voting rights acts.[1]
- Confederate monuments.[3]
- ^ Furthermore, past Democratic control saw power in the hands of Southern Democrats—not modern-day liberal Democrats.
- ^ Governor Ralph Northam had also recently restored the voting rights of nearly 70,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians.[8]
References
- ^ a b c Paviour, Ben (February 26, 2021). "Virginia Is Poised To Approve Its Own Voting Rights Act". NPR. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c Floyd, Jessica (March 31, 2021). "Virginia's historic voting rights act drafted by Black women lawmakers". TheGrio.
- ^ a b c d e f Epstein, Reid J.; Corasaniti, Nick (April 2, 2021). "Virginia, the Old Confederacy's Heart, Becomes a Voting Rights Bastion". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Schneider, Gregory S. (April 1, 2021). "Northam supports Virginia Voting Rights Act, paid sick leave for home health workers and host of other measures at deadline for action". The Washington Post.
- ^ Moomaw, Graham (February 12, 2021). "In five weeks, Virginia Democrats reshape decades of state policy". The Virginia Mercury.
- ^ a b c Romine, Taylor; Alonso, Melissa (March 31, 2021). "Virginia governor approves bill aimed at preventing voter suppression and discrimination in elections". CNN.
- Commonwealth of Virginia. March 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c Littlehales, Alex (April 1, 2021). "Breaking down the newly-signed Voting Rights Act of Virginia". ABC 13 News Now. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022.
- ^ a b c Kruzel, John (March 31, 2021). "Governor signs Voting Rights Act of Virginia". The Hill.
- ^ a b c Moomaw, Graham (March 12, 2021). "Virginia is set to become the first southern state with its own voting rights act. Here's what it does". The Virginia Mercury.
- ^ a b Leonor, Mal (March 31, 2021). "Northam signals approval of Voting Rights Act of Virginia". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- ^ "H 1890". Virginia's Legislative Information System.
- ^ De Alba, Adriana (January 15, 2021). "Delegate Marcia Price introduces first-of-its-kind Voting Rights Act of Virginia". ABC 13 News Now.
- ^ Parks, Cierra (February 1, 2021). "Lawmakers advance Voting Rights Act of Virginia". NBC 12.
- JURIST.
- ^ Schneider, Gregory S.; Olivo, Antonio (April 7, 2021). "Virginia General Assembly votes to allow adults to possess marijuana on July 1". The Washington Post.
- ^ Sargent, Greg (February 5, 2021). "Opinion: An interesting experiment in voting rights moves ahead in Virginia". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Virginia Passes Voting Rights Act Amid Nationwide Republican Crackdown on Ballot Access". Democracy Now!. April 1, 2021.
- ^ "Gov. Northam approves Voting Rights Act of Virginia". ABC 3. March 31, 2021.