Voto Latino Calls SCOTUS Voting Rights Ruling ‘Full-On Adoption of the Big Lie’ - Voto Latino Foundation

Voto Latino Calls SCOTUS Voting Rights Ruling ‘Full-On Adoption of the Big Lie’

Washington, DC –This morning, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld two restrictive voting laws in the 2020 battleground state of Arizona. According to reports, in a 6-3 ruling the conservative justices said the state did not violate the Voting Rights Act when it passed a 2016 law allowing only voters, their family members or their caregivers to collect and deliver a completed ballot. The ruling also upheld a longstanding state policy requiring election officials to throw out ballots accidentally cast in the wrong precincts.

Following the ruling, Voto Latino President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar, issued the following statement:

“Let’s call this ruling what it is: a full-on adoption by the Supreme Court’s conservative justices of Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s ‘Big Lie.’ It furthers the belief that Arizona’s restrictive voting laws reasonably guard against nonexistent voter fraud, when in reality, they explicitly discriminate against, and disproportionately impact voters of color.

“The real-time dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, now diminishing Section 2’s safeguards that protect against bills disadvantaging voters by race, is a worrisome setback to overturning the dozens of discriminatory laws being pushed, and passed, across state legislatures. By disallowing the collection and delivery of completed ballots, and requiring officials to throw out ballots accidentally cast in the wrong precinct, we are actively seeking ways to make it harder to vote, disenfranchising voters who may need assistance reaching faraway polling places, or penalizing them for not keeping up with the ever-changing location of precincts. 

“These laws disproportionately target Arizona’s Latinx voters, its indigenous voters, and all voters of color, as well as low-income voters. It also sends the wrong message to young Latino voters, who made up over 27 percent of Arizona’s electorate in 2020 and is growing, making it harder for them to participate. This is not how we create a more inclusive democracy that ensures every voice can be heard in our elections.”

If you’d be interested in speaking with Maria Teresa further about the impact of this SCOTUS ruling on Arizona’s Latinx voters, and the continued threat of restrictive voting laws across the country, we’d be happy to arrange a call.

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Voto Latino is a grassroots political organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters, as well as creating a more robust and inclusive democracy. Through innovative digital campaigns, culturally relevant programs and authentic voices, we shepherd the Latinx community towards the full realization of its political power.