States Voting Rights Act

WHEREAS, The ability to participate freely and fairly in elections is essential to racial equity and social justice; and

WHEREAS, Numerous jurisdictions continue to adopt practices that disproportionately burden Black voters and voters of color, including voter roll purges, polling place closures, reduced voting hours, and limits on mail-in and early voting; and

WHEREAS, Many of the proposed laws and the president's executive orders are rooted in baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and serve only to entrench structural racism and voter suppression further; and

WHEREAS, States have continued to enact voter suppression laws; and

WHEREAS, The NAACP has a long history of fighting for voting rights, protecting and expanding political and civic participation, innovation, and fair representation as cornerstones of racial justice and equality in America.

WHEREAS, throughout the country, so-called "election deniers" are being named to local election boards so that they will refuse to properly certify elections, file numerous challenges regarding voter eligibility, simply to frustrate the democratic process all throughout the country.

WHEREAS, achieving true racial equity in elections requires not only protecting existing voting rights but also evaluating and adopting equitable voting reforms that expand meaningful participation and representation for Black and brown communities.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP reaffirms our resolutions supporting efforts to protect and expand voter rights, improve access to the electoral process, and enhance overall civic engagement among Black and brown Americans from 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP reiterates its resolve to challenge all attempts by states or the federal government to implement legislation that makes voting difficult for voters of color.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls for thorough research and pilot programs on voting reforms such as Approval Voting, Proportional Representation, Rank Choice Voting, and Open Primaries. The NAACP specifically supports the need for research and pilot initiatives to evaluate their effectiveness in boosting participation and representation for Black and brown communities, ensuring that all data is disaggregated by race and geography to provide clear insights for future considerations and recommendations.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls upon Congress to introduce and enact the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the NAACP will continue to educate communities about voting rights threats, engage in advocacy against restrictive laws, and actively mobilize to oppose voter suppression at the local, state, and national levels.