“Finally, New York State will have sane, reasonable, accessible voter policies under a series of laws approved, and constitutional amendments proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. For far too many years New York, the State that can naturally tout its diversity, inclusivity and liberal policies for the country to follow, has failed to expand the franchise. Until today.
This article outlines ways that foundations are mobilizing to help protect voting rights and how one of those initiatives supports LatinoJustice's Voter Protection initiative.
LJP's David Ayala is joined by his sister, Mariely Feraro and his wife, state attorney Aramis Ayala, as he fills out his voter registration card at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 8, 2019.
Trenton is all aflutter over its independent redistricting commission. Who gets to sit, who decides on the tie-breaking appointment, and how do recent statewide vote tallies shape the districts the commission can devise, especially since the Democrats are on a roll in the State, are all in the mix of two legislative proposals placed on the fast track (SCR 43 and ACR 60). From a New Jersey Latinx perspective all of this distracts from the real impediments to more political power in Trenton: the insistence in New Jersey on jealously guarding the sanctity of 40 legislative districts electing one senator and two assembly members.They are called multi-member districts and they are disfavored under the Voting Rights Act.
Voter suppression is alive and well in Florida where our election protection volunteers reported multiple voting rights violations as well as coercion during early voting and we secured an emergency order in response to the violation of a federal injunction
Tallahassee, FL- Voting rights advocates applaud the ruling from Judge Walker ordering compliance with Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act which requires voting and election materials and assistance be provided to U.S. Citizen voters educated in Spanish in Puerto Rico. Today’s decision recognizes the growing presence of Puerto Rican voters and their right to fully participate in elections that would impact their future.
Civil rights organizations have asked a federal judge to order the state of Florida and local election officials to provide Spanish-language ballots, literature and translators for voters of Latino descent in time for the midterm election.
Civic engagement groups filed suit against 32 Florida counties who are in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965’s requirement to provide bilingual voting materials and assistance, including ballots and poll worker support, for Puerto Rican-educated, Spanish-speaking United States citizens. The plaintiffs are represented by LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Demos, and the law firm of Altshuler Berzon LLP. Service Employees International Union also represents certain plaintiffs. Currently, many thousands of Puerto Rican and other Spanish-speaking Florida residents with limited English proficiency are being impeded from exercising their fundamental right to vote because elections in many parts of the state are conducted only in English.
CONTACT: Christiaan Perez, cperez@latinojustice.org, 212-739-7581
NEW YORK, NY - Today, the New York Counts 2020 coalition held a press call to provide an update on efforts to combat the Trump administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The New York Counts 2020 Coalition is comprised of more than eighty organizations engaged in litigation, community outreach, education, and advocacy.
Voting rights suit on behalf of voters who were unlawfully purged from the voter rolls in NYC on the eve of the 2016 national election led to a court order requiring NYC poll workers to provide affidavit ballots to any individual who believed they had been registered to vote but whose name did not appear on the registration rolls.
