U.S. Supreme Court Decision Turns Back the Clock 50 Years on Voter Rights

MADISON, Wis. — The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Shelby Co. v. Holder voting rights case:

“The widespread use of racist tactics designed to intimidate and keep legal voters from the exercising the franchise is one of the most shameful episodes in our nation’s history – whether it was the Jim Crow South or Scott Walker’s Wisconsin.

“It is beyond disappointing that a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law that has stopped literally thousands of assaults on voter rights that had no other purpose but to intimidate and keep legal voters from voting.

“There is nothing more fundamental to a well functioning democracy than citizens doing their civic duty and casting their vote.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision rolls back the clock 50 years. This is exactly why we need an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, like that proposed by Rep. Mark Pocan, to protect the people’s right to vote from politicians manipulating the system for their own gain and to leave no question for courts about their duty to strike down attempts to interfere with that right.

“Our government, including the courts, ought to be about protecting and expanding our rights, not re-opening the door to the shameful anti-voter racism of the past.”

One Wisconsin Now authored a comprehensive report, “Protecting the Right to Vote in Wisconsin,” available here that exposes the all out assault on free and fair elections launched by politicians attempting to manipulate the system for their partisan political gain.