NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations applaud the Supreme Court ruling in Allen v. Milligan, striking down Alabama’s racially discriminatory congressional district map and shoring up a crucial component of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the landmark legislation that has been a crucial safeguard against voter suppression measures for more than a half-century.
This is a victory for Black voters and civil rights organizations that challenged Alabama’s congressional map, arguing that it diluted Black voting power. It also is an affirmation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which offers legal protections to voters who can prove that state or local governments discriminated on the basis of race in their voting laws.
“Open Society proudly joins our allies in continuing the fight for fair representation and voting rights, just as so many have done before us,” said Laleh Ispahani, executive director of Open Society-U.S. “The road to a truly multiracial democracy may be a steep climb, but we believe deeply that the people will prevail, and make it to the mountaintop.”
Open Society stands with the community activists, lawyers, and civil rights groups who overcame Alabama’s efforts to restrict their rights. We will continue to fight for fair maps, equitable access to the ballot, and fair representation for communities across the country.
Indeed, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Shelby County v. Holder, which effectively gutted Section 5 of the Act. This removed a measure by which certain jurisdictions where voting discrimination had occurred were required to seek “preclearance” from the federal government before making changes to their election rules. The preclearance provisions had helped to substantially boost access to the ballot box.
In the wake of the Shelby County ruling, Open Society worked with grantees and partners to litigate against the flood of discriminatory voting laws that followed the decision, and to collaborate with other funders on creative ways to seek redress for the harms done, particularly to communities of color.