Congress Must Act to Protect Voting Rights. Our Democracy Depends on it.
August 6, 2026
Our democracy depends on congressional action to ensure all voters can cast a vote
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The following is a statement from Tianna Mays, legal director at Democracy Defenders Action, on the anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“Sixty-one years ago today, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, reaffirming our nation’s commitment to protecting every eligible citizen’s fundamental right to vote. The Act became one of the country’s most powerful safeguards against racial discrimination in our elections. For decades, it served as a critical tool for identifying and stopping racially discriminatory voting practices, blocking hundreds of proposed laws and election changes that would have restricted access to the ballot or diluted the voting strength of the Black community.
“Yet, over the last decade, the Supreme Court has significantly narrowed the Voting Rights Act’s reach, making it increasingly difficult to challenge discriminatory voting laws and practices. Most recently, in Louisiana v. Callais, the Court effectively stripped the Voting Rights Act of its power to ensure fair representation for all Americans.
“In the immediate aftermath of the Callais decision, there was a mad dash by lawmakers across the South to adopt and draw maps that limited or completely drew out Black representation. Nothing better demonstrates the need for the VRA than that chaos the nation watched unfold in statehouse after statehouse.
“We can no longer count on our courts to protect the rights of all citizens. The stakes are too high. We need congressional action now to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote, that all lawful votes are counted and that every voter has access to accurate information. Our democracy depends on it.”
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Democracy Defenders Action brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.
For media inquiries, contact, press@democracydefenders.org.
