John: An update from the federal 8th Circuit on one of the most dangerous anti-voter rulings we’ve seen in years.

A federal appeals court this week cut off a key avenue for private groups and individuals to bring racial discrimination claims under the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The ruling, which applies in seven states, further weakens the ability of our civil rights law to protect voters, and could lead to the Supreme Court settling the issue. 

This goes back to an initial ruling from 2023, the impact of which is pretty simple to understand: That voters and voting rights organizations can no longer sue to overturn unjust laws under the Voting Rights Act. According to the 8th Circuit, and now confirmed on appeal, only the Department of Justice (DoJ) has the legal standing to sue states over voting laws.

With former Florida AG Pam Bondi -- a "big lie" spreading MAGA acolyte -- serving as Attorney General, it's clear that the DOJ is not going to protect voting rights over the next four years.

John, we have to fight this ruling and make sure voters and advocacy groups have the right to defend voting rights in court. Please pitch in $25 or whatever you can to make every vote count, either at the ballot box or in court >>

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This is all about the legal term "private right of action". The 8th Circuit says it doesn't exist. That means the pro-voting lawsuits we've seen in states like Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, and others nationwide wouldn't be possible anymore if the Supreme Court backs up this ruling.

We won’t sugarcoat this: This could be a crushing blow to many voting rights organizations across the country, ourselves included. If this new appellate ruling is not overturned by the Supreme Court, it could unravel all of the great work pro-voting organizations are doing across the country — and allow dozens of unjust, unconstitutional voter restrictions to stand.

Attacks like this on what remains of the Voting Rights Act are going to get worse over the next few years. As voter suppression laws become increasingly targeted and oppressive, our work to combat them must become smarter, stronger, and more accessible to everyone.

We can't do this alone. Help defend our right to vote with $25 or however much you can today and make every voice heard in our elections >>

Integrity First Voter Action Project is dedicated to expanding ballot access and increasing voter participation across the country.

Since the Supreme Court gutted key provisions in the Voting Rights Act, extreme politicians have taken advantage to pass harsh laws that restrict access to the ballot box. These restrictions particularly affect disadvantaged communities and people of color. It’s our goal to bring awareness to these laws wherever they may crop up and organize voters to take action to ensure the right to vote is available to everyone in their states and communities.

Your support is crucial to our efforts. Will you donate today to help us protect voting rights?

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