Voting Rights

Democracy Wire welcomes guest author Hedrick Smith, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and documentarian whose newest documentary, The People v. The Politicians will air on MSNBC this summer. Democracy Wire will feature Smith's writing and videos leading up to the air dates. Today, Smith talks with the Rev. Dr. William Barber of North Carolina, who reminds us of the morality at the heart of our democracy, our fundamental belief in human dignity that each of us has an equal say in the future for our families, communities, and nation.

Today, Common Cause issued a new report examining how corrections industry influence, felony disenfranchisement and prison gerrymandering fuel mass incarceration and undermine democracy. Democracy Behind Bars looks at our broken criminal justice system and how it is manipulated for the benefit and profit of the prison industry. The report goes on to examine the work going on in the states to restore voting rights to citizens who have served their time and to curb mass criminalization and incarceration.

Damon Effingham, acting director of the government watchdog group Common Cause, described the incident as "a catastrophic failure" of access to voting. "For decades, the MVA has been one of the main avenues for Americans to register to vote," Effingham said in a statement. "Tonight's news represents a catastrophic failure by the MVA in their duty to ensure every eligible Marylander has access to their right to vote." Effingham pointed out that the provisional ballots won't be counted until the second Wednesday after Tuesday's primary.

"Justice delayed is justice denied," said Common Cause executive director Bob Phillips, "however, we are confident that we have standing to be able to make our way back to the Supreme Court so that the Justices may draw a clear line against partisan political gerrymanders that leave too many Americans without fair representation."

Voting rights proponents said the ruling was a disappointment because minorities have fueled the state's population growth but have not won increased political clout. “This decision represents a severe blow to voting rights in Texas," said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas.

“If this case is not the limit, then there may be no limit,” said Ben Thorpe, one of the lawyers representing Common Cause.