Voting Rights
Black Political Empowerment Project v. Schmidt
A statewide coalition of nonpartisan community organizations sued Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt and election officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny County state court, demanding an end to the disqualification of mail-in ballots for inconsequential date errors. This practice violates the fundamental right to vote in free and equal elections guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Status: Ongoing
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Michigan
Sep 2024
ACLU of Michigan v. Froman
Michigan requires boards of county canvassers to certify the results of an election within 14 days after the election based on the total number of votes reported from each location. The law doesn't allow them to withhold certification. Kalamazoo Board of County Canvassers member, Robert Froman, has made clear that he would decline to certify the November 2024 election under certain circumstances. This lawsuit asks the state's courts to make clear that Mr. Froman is duty bound to certify the election based on the number of votes reported.
Status: Closed (Settled)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2024
Callais v. Landry
Whether the congressional map Louisiana adopted to cure a Voting Rights Act violation in Robinson v. Ardoin is itself unlawful as a gerrymander.
Status: Ongoing
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Minnesota Supreme Court
Aug 2024
Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Hunt
The ACLU and ACLU of Minnesota intervened as defendants to block an attempt by Minnesota Voters Alliance -- a private plaintiff group -- to challenge a law that restored voting rights to individuals convicted of a felony while they are "not incarcerated for the offense" and "including any period when they are on work release."
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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South Carolina Supreme Court
Jul 2024
League of Women Voters of South Carolina v. Alexander
This case involves a state constitutional challenge to South Carolina’s 2022 congressional redistricting plan, which legislators admit was drawn to entrench a 6-1 Republican majority in the state’s federal delegation. Plaintiff the League of Women Voters of South Carolina has asked the state’s Supreme Court to conclude that the congressional map is an unlawful partisan gerrymander that violates the state constitution.
Status: Ongoing
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Ohio
Jul 2024
League of Women Voters of Ohio v. LaRose
In Ohio, HB 458 makes it a felony for any person who is not an election official or mail carrier to return an absentee voter's ballot—including voters with disabilities—unless the person assisting falls within an unduly narrow list of relatives. We are challenging the law because it violates Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) by making it exceedingly difficult for voters with disabilities to cast their ballots.
Status: Ongoing
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Mississippi
Jul 2024
Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP v. State Board of Election Commissioners
Mississippi has a growing Black population, which is already the largest Black population percentage of any state in the country. Yet. Black Mississippians continue to be significantly under-represented in the state legislature, as Mississippi’s latest districting maps fail to reflect the reality of the state’s changing demographics. During the 2022 redistricting process, the Mississippi legislature refused to create any new districts where Black voters have a chance to elect their preferred representative. The current district lines therefore dilute the voting power of Black Mississippians and continue to deprive them of political representation that is responsive to their needs and concerns, including severe disparities in education and healthcare.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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All Cases
135 Voting Rights Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2012
Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
Whether Indiana's voter ID law unconstitutionally burdens the right to vote absent any evidence of voter fraud. DECIDED
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Voting Rights
Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
Whether Indiana's voter ID law unconstitutionally burdens the right to vote absent any evidence of voter fraud. DECIDED
Aug 2012
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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Georgia
Aug 2012
Common Cause v. Billups
In 2005, the Georgia legislature passed a law requiring voters to show photo ID before voting at the polls on Election Day. The ACLU Voting Rights Project and the ACLU of Georgia joined two individual voters and five other non-profit organizations in a lawsuit challenging the law under the 24th Amendment, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Protection Clause, and the state constitution.
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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Georgia
Voting Rights
Common Cause v. Billups
In 2005, the Georgia legislature passed a law requiring voters to show photo ID before voting at the polls on Election Day. The ACLU Voting Rights Project and the ACLU of Georgia joined two individual voters and five other non-profit organizations in a lawsuit challenging the law under the 24th Amendment, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Protection Clause, and the state constitution.
Aug 2012
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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South Dakota
Voting Rights
Racial Justice
Janis v. Nelson
May 2010
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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May 2010
Request for Hearing on U.S. Felon Disfranchisement Laws to the IACHR
The felony disfranchisement laws, policies and practices of the United States violate the right to vote free from discrimination under the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man and the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights.
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Voting Rights
+3 Issues
Request for Hearing on U.S. Felon Disfranchisement Laws to the IACHR
The felony disfranchisement laws, policies and practices of the United States violate the right to vote free from discrimination under the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man and the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights.
May 2010
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South Carolina
May 2010
South Carolina Green Party et al. v. South Carolina State Election Commission et al.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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South Carolina
Voting Rights
South Carolina Green Party et al. v. South Carolina State Election Commission et al.
May 2010
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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