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Federal Court Again Strikes Down Alabama’s Congressional Map
Republicans failed to comply with a court order to create a second majority Black district or something “close to it,” the judicial panel said. By Emily Cochrane On September 5, 2023 A panel of federal judges rejected Alabama’s latest congressional map on Tuesday, ruling that a new map needed to be drawn because Republican lawmakers…
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What’s at stake in the long-awaited trial over Texas’s sweeping 2021 elections law
The GOP-backed Senate Bill 1 added voting restrictions that plaintiffs claim unfairly impacts voters of color. By Natalia Contreras On September 11, 2023 Two years after voting rights groups challenged Texas Republicans’ sweeping overhaul of its voting and election laws, the case comes to trial Monday in a federal court in San Antonio. The lengthy…
Read MoreConstitution Day 2023: Know your voting rights
On September 8, 2023 NEW YORK (WABC) — Do you know the meaning behind Constitution Day?It was September 17, 1787, when the U.S. Constitution was signed and would later become the law of the land.But what exactly is the Constitution, and why is it still so important for us today? Well, the U.S. Constitution is the…
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Voting rights groups ask to dismiss lawsuit challenging gerrymandered Ohio congressional map
By Julie Carr-Smyth On September 5, 2023 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio voting-rights groups moved to dismiss their lawsuit against Ohio’s unconstitutional congressional map on Tuesday, arguing that prolonging the legal wrangling over where to draw district boundaries isn’t in the best interests of Ohio voters. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, on behalf of the…
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Harris County’s election chief remains in legal limbo after judge rules that lawmakers can’t dissolve the position
Republican lawmakers targeted the Harris County elections department during this year’s regular session after numerous issues arose out of the 2022 election. By Natalia Contreras On August 15, 2023 The Texas attorney general’s office on Tuesday appealed the decision of a judge to temporarily block a new law passed by Republicans to abolish Harris County’s…
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Fight over felons’ voting rights heats up for 2024
By Eugene Scott On August 14, 2023 Voting rights for formerly incarcerated people Voting rights activists and Republican officials across the country are battling over whether felons should have their voting privileges restored once they’ve served their punishments. Why it matters: The tussle is largely partisan, with most Republicans opposing felons voting and Democrats — including…
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Why State and Federal Voting Rights Legislation go Hand-in-Hand
By Marisa Wright On August 23, 2023 Over the past decade, the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 has suffered two significant blows at the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court — and Congress has repeatedly failed to act. Now, state lawmakers are stepping into the void to ensure the right to vote remains meaningful in the United…
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NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
On September 8, 2023 A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts: Burning Man flooding triggers false claims of Ebola outbreak, ‘national…
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QAnon-embraced film pulled from screening on-base at SOUTHCOM
By Allison P. Erickson and Davis Winkie On September 5, 2023 U.S. Southern Command planned, and then canceled, two showings of the Christian-faith-based thriller “Sound of Freedom” at its headquarters this summer. The movie’s been a runaway hit, grossing more than $200 million, but its lead actor has publicly linked the film’s anti-sex-trafficking plot to baseless…
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