Arkansas Archives | American Democracy Minute

Early Voting Begins in 18 States This Week, But Voter Registration Ends in 6 States. You Can’t Vote If You’re Not Registered.

October 20, 2024October 20, 2024

Early voting is well under way in 22 states, and will be joined by another 11 states Oct. 21st and 22nd. But if you’re not registered in Pennsylvania, Alabama or South Dakota, your time runs out by the end of day on Oct. 21st.

Federal 5th Circuit Refuses Challenge to ‘Private Right of Action’ – For Now. It’s the New Battleground to Dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act

June 27, 2024June 27, 2024

A 2023 decision in an Arkansas redistricting case found individual voters did not have a “private right of action” to challenge the maps. The State of Louisiana tried the same tactic in its chaotic gerrymandering case, but was refused on June 24th. It appears to be the latest legal strategy to dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

After Raising the Bar to Prove Racial Gerrymandering in South Carolina Case, the U.S. Supreme Court Reopens a 2022 Arkansas Redistricting Case

June 4, 2024July 22, 2024

Is the U.S. Supreme Court aiming to take yet another chop at the 1965 Voting Rights Act? An Arkansas redistricting case has been sent back to a lower court after last week’s new rules making it harder to prove racial gerrymandering.

Federal Appeals Court Denies Rehearing of Radical Arkansas Voting Rights Act Ruling Shutting Out Voters & Democracy Groups from Bringing Cases

January 31, 2024January 31, 2024

In Nov. 2023, an 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s radical ruling that Arkansas voters did not have the right to sue under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Despite being widely panned as a fringe ruling, the 8th Circuit refused to re-hear the case January 30th.

Encouraging New Decisions for North Dakota and Louisiana Push Back on the U.S. Eighth Circuit’s “No Right of Private Action” Voting Rights Act Ruling

December 17, 2023December 17, 2023

Last week we reported on the aftershocks of an Arkansas racial gerrymandering case, where the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals decided voters and groups had “No private right of action” under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Two rulings issued Friday, December 15th pushed back on that radical decision.