There’s an alarming trend at the federal level to roll back voter protections and make it harder for eligible voters, including voters right here in Maryland, to make their voices heard.
Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans introduced the SAVE Act, legislation that would make it more difficult for American citizens – including married women, rural voters, and veterans – to cast their ballots. And the federal Voting Rights Act, which was largely gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013, is no longer enough to protect Americans against these attacks on our voting rights.
We can’t stand by as the federal government advances anti-voter policies that strip our neighbors, friends, and families of their freedom to vote. It’s time for Maryland legislators to step up and pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act (MDVRA) this session so we can guarantee all voters have a say in our future.
The MDVRA bolsters our state’s voter protections and provides legal recourse for voters whose rights are denied. Maryland would be just the ninth state to pass a state voting rights act, making us a national leader on this issue.
We’ve already seen the consequences of insufficient voting rights laws in Maryland. During the 2021 redistricting cycle, the Baltimore County Council passed a racially gerrymandered district map packing Black voters into a single majority-Black district. Though the plan was challenged in court and redrawn, the new plan still dilutes Black voter power by including only two majority Black districts. The MDVRA would have prevented this costly litigation by ensuring district maps protecting the rights of Black and brown communities were drawn from the very beginning.
Another example is the town of Federalsburg, which had long operated an election system that discriminated against Black voters. Although Federalsburg has a 43 percent Black population, no Black person had ever been elected to public office in the town’s 200-year history. When Black residents voiced the devastating impacts of this unfair system in 2022, elected officials initially responded by rejecting a lawful election plan, canceling the 2023 council election, and extending the terms of Federalsburg’s officeholders until November 2024. A lawsuit filed by Federalsburg’s Black residents was settled in 2023, resulting in the town issuing a public apology for the racist system and implementing a new election process where voters could finally elect the town’s first-ever Black representatives.
Had the MDVRA been in place, Federalsburg’s local government, which had a history of voter discrimination, wouldn’t have been able to change voting rules or procedures unless the state Attorney General or a court confirmed the changes wouldn’t disadvantage Black voters. This pre-clearance provision would have prevented Federalsburg’s officeholders from unilaterally canceling the council election and extending the current officials’ terms. The MDVRA also creates more avenues for communities to prove that an election system systematically weights the votes of a certain group less than other members of the electorate. Thus, the MDVRA would have made it easier for Federalsburg residents to challenge the racially diluted voting system in the first place.
These stories demonstrate why we need the Maryland Voting Rights Act now. This legislation would ensure all voters can easily seek justice through the courts if their freedom to vote is violated. Additionally, the MDVRA prohibits the process of diluting votes, protects against voter deception and intimidation, and improves translation assistance for Americans whose first language is not English. While we’re glad the Maryland Senate advanced S.B. 342, which would prevent vote dilution, Common Cause Maryland won’t stop fighting until this entire pro-voter package is enacted.
With Trump’s Project 2025 outlining plans to further weaken protections against voter discrimination and the U.S. House set to vote soon on the anti-voter SAVE Act, it’s critical the Maryland legislature passes the Maryland Voting Rights Act and other key election reforms before session ends on April 7. If the state legislature doesn’t act, they’re leaving our freedom to vote at the mercy of the federal government until at least next year. We can’t afford to put our voting rights in the hands of a Congress and presidential administration that continues to attack the rights of marginalized communities.
The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy – so let’s pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act now.
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