Opinion

Read in-depth op-eds on voting rights and democracy from our contributors, guest authors and Democracy Docket's founder, Marc Elias. Use the drop-down menu to organize by topic.

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Here’s What I’m Thankful for This Year

If Allen was the only VRA victory of the year, it would be a good year. But the impact of this landmark decision didn’t extend just to Alabama.

By Marc Elias

November 22, 2023

Pink background with black and white toned images of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting with MLK, Whitney Young, and James Farmer in the Oval Office and another image of people protesting outside the U.S. Supreme Court surrounding a blue-toned image of hands clapping together, a copy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with Johnson's signature, and text from court opinions that read "About a year later, the Supreme Court resolved the Alabama case. We now apply the Court's reasoning to the Louisiana redistricting." and "We held, and the Supreme Court agreed, that the required remedy is the creation of a second district where Black Alabamians, like everyone else, have a fair and reasonable opportunity to elect their preferred candidates" and "But unfortunately, as to districts 9 and 15, those efforts did not go far enough to comply with Section 2."

Disenfranchising Rural North Carolina Is By Design

S.B. 747 makes it so that too many people would go to the polls, lawfully vote and later learn — or perhaps never learn — that their vote didn’t count.

By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton

November 14, 2023

Blue background with someone holding a red-toned mail-in ballot envelope that reads "Return to Sender For Better Address"

The Future of Partisan Gerrymandering in North Carolina

The impact of the new maps — on state and national politics and on the lives of North Carolinians — will be profound.

By Asher D. Hildebrand

November 10, 2023

Red background with old-looking paper that reads "The Future of the Gerrymander!" "Things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and North Carolina redistricting." and an image of the original gerrymander with "The Past" written above it and an image of North Carolina's recently approved congressional map with "The Present" written above it.

Despite Ohio GOP’s Efforts to Silence Us, the People of Ohio Won

The fight for abortion rights is the fight for our democracy and this week, Ohioans stood firmly against rampant attacks from Republicans.

By Katy Shanahan

November 9, 2023

Red background with hands holding up a large blue button that reads "KEEP ABORTION LEGAL"

The Keystone to Democracy’s Future in Pennsylvania

The decisions made by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court have far-reaching consequences, and we cannot afford to let these rights be eroded or diminished.

By Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez

October 27, 2023

Light blue background with a man standing in front of the Pennsylvania state shape holding and pointing to a voter registration form on a clipboard.

A Dangerous Legal Theory Returns for 2024

You may recall that last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the fringe right-wing independent state legislature (ISL) theory.

By Marc Elias

October 24, 2023

Red background with black and white toned image of Frankenstein's monster with "ISL" printed on his forehead and the complaint from a recent lawsuit in Michigan folded into the background.

In South Carolina, Making Redistricting Work for All

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a case that will shape the future of South Carolina’s Black communities.

By Brenda Murphy

October 11, 2023

Light blue background with black and white toned U.S. Supreme Court and protestors standing outside holding up blue signs that read "END GERRYMANDERING NOW," "FAIR DISTRICTS," "NAACP."

The Lesson of Alabama

Republican-controlled legislatures are ignoring the law because they have decided that defiance is good politics.

By Marc Elias

October 9, 2023

Red background with blue image of the Voting Rights Act with the red flag of the state of Alabama (with a big red "X") laid over the law document.

With Help From Dems, Ohio Has Gerrymandering Déjà Vu

After 782 days and five bipartisan court strike downs of illegal Republican gerrymanders, Ohio is closing out its 2021 mapping cycle with Democrats caving on maps.

By Katy Shanahan

September 28, 2023