The League of Women Voters is proud to support H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) which will restore sections of the Voting Rights Act that the Supreme Court stripped in the Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013. Today, League of Women Voters CEO, Virginia Kase released the following statement in support of this critical bill:

“The right to vote is a sacred pillar of our democracy, central to the mission of the League of Women Voters, and why we deeply support the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA).

“More than 50 years ago, we saw the most sweeping advancement to voting rights with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made racially discriminatory voting practices illegal. Since the court’s decision in 2013, voters across the country have faced issues at the ballot box including unlawful purges, shortening of voting hours, and the closing of polling places in communities with large populations of voters of color.

“With the introduction of this bill, it is time for Congress to update the Voting Rights Act and restore the vote for millions of disenfranchised voters.

“The VRAA will strengthen our democracy by ensuring that race is not a factor in determining who has access to the ballot box. It is time to move forward with this bill, and the League of Women Voters implores all members of Congress to support this important legislation.”