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To Protect Democracy, We Must Pass the New Jersey Voting Rights Act
By Ronak Patel
A week cannot go by without a headline reporting a new attack on our multiracial democracy. Politicians seeking personal and partisan advantage, aided by shadowy donor networks, have waged a ceaseless two front war against minority voting rights, chipping away at the Voting Rights Act in federal courts, while simultaneously passing state laws that suppress the vote, especially that of minority communities.
With federal protections faltering, it is past time for so-called pro-democracy states, like my home state of New Jersey, to stem the tide. They must take decisive action by enacting expansive and robust state voting rights acts, that do not just restore federal protections, but go further to ensure long disenfranchised minority communities can equally participate in our democracy.
New Jersey can be a leader in protecting and strengthening multiracial democracy by passing the proposed John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey (A4083/S3009) (NJVRA)), a strong state voting rights act, this year.
New Jersey has long been a melting pot of peoples and cultures. From naturalized citizens, like many in my family, to folks who have called the state home for generations, all New Jerseyans have a right to be heard and to participate in our democratic traditions. The NJVRA would ensure that right is staunchly protected. It would put in place strong proactive mechanisms to prevent local officials from harming minority voters. The NJVRA would also empower voters to challenge practices that suppress their right to vote and their communities’ voices. It would ensure that the New Jerseyans will not be prevented from effectively casting their ballots just because they do not speak English very well.
At its core, the NJVRA sets a vision for what democracy can be like across our nation. With persistent congressional inaction and federal judicial skepticism of voting rights protections, it is imperative New Jersey be a beacon for free, open, and transparent multiracial democracy.
This year, New Jersey must pass the NJVRA.
New Jersey native Ronak Patel is the Equal Justice Works fellow with AALDEF's Democracy Program, where he focuses on state and local redistricting, voting rights litigation, and advocacy around state voting rights acts.
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