Today we remember the anniversary of one of the most consequential civil rights laws in our country’s history: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). Prior to 1965, the brutal disenfranchisement of Black Americans in the South took the form of poll taxes, literacy tests, and state-sanctioned violence against Black voters. The VRA was envisioned as a critical tool to fight discriminatory voting practices and fully realize the democratic ideals of this nation’s founding. It was championed by civil rights advocates like John Lewis and enacted 60 years ago today.
While the VRA was a leap forward for voting rights, the struggle against discrimination is far from over. Systemic efforts to silence marginalized voters persist in new forms today. The Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision effectively ended the VRA’s preclearance program, leading to states passing laws that purge voter rolls, restrict early and mail-in voting, close polling places in communities of color, and enforce overly strict voter ID requirements. The Supreme Court further weakened the VRA in the 2021 Brnovich case which made it harder to legally challenge discriminatory voting laws that have proliferated since the Shelby County decision.
As this is being written, federal courts are taking up cases challenging the right of private organizations and individuals to sue under certain sections of the VRA. This would leave only the federal government with the ability to bring such lawsuits at a time when it has purposely undermined its role in enforcing the VRA. Amidst nationwide attacks on voting rights, it is imperative that we strengthen the protections afforded by the VRA by demanding the most robust voting rights protections right here in Delaware. The ACLU of Delaware and partners have been working tirelessly on the Every Vote Counts Campaign (EVC), a campaign seeking to amend Delaware’s constitution in order to:
- Restore voting rights after felony incarceration,
- Protect and expand early in-person voting and absentee voting, and
- Implement same-day voter registration
These amendments are necessary to protect the fundamental rights of Delawareans and expand access to the ballot for all eligible voters. They would lead to thousands more Delawareans registering to vote and casting ballots, ensuring Delaware becomes a beacon of democracy and strong voter engagement.
Bills championing these reforms have already been introduced into the legislature. The EVC campaign is committed to seeing these bills pass in 2026 as we create a state where the intentions of the VRA can be fully realized. The ACLU of Delaware will also be working on further legislation to protect and advance the right to vote, including state-level voting protections mirroring those originally advanced in the VRA.
John Lewis and many other civil rights activists taught us that democracy is not a state; it is an act. We don't inherit democracy; we build it. Let’s continue building in 2026.
Join our efforts to expand and protect democracy in Delaware.
Every Vote Counts
