Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
Project Title
For core support of the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group
Date
Dec. 14, 2023
Duration
24 months
Description
Since the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder (2013), which gutted major voting rights protections under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), states have proposed hundreds of changes to election procedures designed to increase barriers to voting, even at the risk of reducing voter participation. As advocates work to restore federal protections once offered by the VRA, voting rights attorneys have been the main line of defense against laws that restrict the right to vote in states across the country. Housed at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and established with Corporation support, the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group is comprised of twelve organizations with historic involvement in prominent voting rights litigation. With Corporation support, the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group, will continue to leverage its collective expertise to consult and collaborate on litigation and pre-litigation efforts to defend the voting rights of all American citizens.
Website
Project Title
For support of the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group
Date
Dec. 02, 2021
Duration
24 months
Description
Since the Supreme Court decision inShelby County v. Holder(2013), which gutted major voting rights protections under the Voting Rights Act of 1965(VRA), states have proposed hundreds of changes to election procedures designed to increase barriers to voting, even at the risk of reducing voter participation.As advocates push policymakers to restore federal protections once offered by the VRA, voting rights attorneys have been the main line of defense against laws that restrict the right to vote in states across the country. Founded in 2013 with Corporation support, the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group is comprised of twelve organizations with historic involvement in prominent voting rights litigation. With Corporation support, the working group will continue to leverage its collective expertise to consult and collaborate on litigation and pre-litigation efforts to defend voting rights.
Website
Project Title
For support of the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group
Date
Dec. 05, 2019
Duration
24 months
Description
Since the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted major voting rights protections offered under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the United States has observed the emergence of hundreds of discriminatory changes to election procedures around the country. Yet, as the threats of an inaccurate 2020 Census and foreign interference in American elections loom, the federal government has not taken major steps to addressing voting rights under threat. As advocates push policymakers to restore protections once offered under the VRA, voting rights attorneys have been the main line of defense against voter suppression across the country. Founded in 2013 with Corporation support, the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group is a collaborative of twelve organizations selected for their historic involvement in significant voting rights litigation. With renewed Corporation support, the working group will continue to leverage its collective expertise to consult and collaborate on litigation and pre-litigation efforts to defend against the undermining of the voting rights of American citizens.
Website
Project Title
For support of the voting rights litigation working group
Date
Dec. 07, 2017
Duration
24 months
Description
In 2017, more than 100 bills to limit voting and voter registration access were introduced in 31 states, efforts which disproportionately affect low propensity voters, including minorities, youth, immigrants, and low-income individuals. Many of these bills would have been blocked by the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), a historic achievement of the civil rights movement that was weakened by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder (2013). As policymakers work on legislation to restore previous protections offered by the VRA, voting rights attorneys remain the primary defense against efforts to disenfranchise voters. In response to threats posed by the Shelby decision, ten of the nation’s leading voting rights organizations came together to form the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group. With renewed Corporation support, the working group, fiscally sponsored by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, will continue to leverage its collective expertise to counsel and collaborate on litigation and pre-litigation efforts against emerging challenges to voting rights.
Website
Project Title
For support of the voting rights working group
Date
Dec. 10, 2015
Duration
24 months
Description
The historic 1965 Voting Rights Act was enacted at the height of the civil rights movement to combat discriminatory practices used by state and local governments to restrict the rights of minorities to vote. For almost fifty years the law has prevented hundreds of voting changes that would limit and reduce the voting power of underrepresented groups from taking effect and also likely deterred the consideration or adoption of countless other discriminatory voting changes. The Supreme Court’s June 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder significantly undercut the strength of the Voting Rights Act, opening the door to renewed efforts at voting discrimination by state and local governments. Given the threat that the Supreme Court’s ruling poses to voting rights, ten of the leading voting rights litigation organizations in the country have come together to form the Voting Rights Litigation Working Group and deepen their ongoing collaboration in response to the Shelby County v. Holder case. With renewed Corporation support, the working group members will leverage their collective expertise by consulting and collaborating on litigation efforts to defend new challenges to voting rights in the wake of the Shelby County v. Holder case.
Website
Project Title
For the voting rights litigation working group
Date
Mar. 06, 2014
Duration
15 months
Website
Project Title
Toward its immigrant rights advocacy program
Date
Mar. 05, 2009
Duration
24 months
Website
Project Title
Toward its immigrant rights advocacy program
Date
Mar. 01, 2007
Duration
24 months
Website
Project Title
Toward a project to deepen Latino political involvement
Date
Feb. 05, 2004
Duration
12 months