Voting is a fundamental right upon which all other civil liberties rest – and this summer, New Jersey passed a state-level Voting Rights Act (VRA) that will protect and expand access to voting in the Garden State.
After over four years of advocacy, the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey (NJVEA) was signed into law by Governor Sherrill, cementing New Jersey as a national leader on voting rights. The NJVEA becoming law was a culmination of tireless advocacy from communities and advocates across the state – in fact, the ACLU of New Jersey and its partners in the NJVRA NOW Coalition first called for the passage of the initial version of the bill in 2022.
With this bill, New Jersey becomes the first state to enact a state-level Voting Rights Act after the U.S. Supreme Court’s devastating ruling in Louisiana v. Callais – which further eroded voting rights protections under the federal Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of civil rights legislation that had safeguarded voters of color from discrimination since it was enacted on August 6, 1965.
After Louisiana v. Callais and amid ongoing federal attacks on voting rights, state laws have become even more critical in the fight to defend our democracy.
The NJVEA restores and strengthens key protections stripped from the federal VRA and provides powerful tools to combat racial discrimination in voting. It expands access to the ballot box, fortifying New Jersey with some of the strongest voting protections in the country. Under the new law, New Jersey will be protected against tactics that suppress and dilute the political power of voters of color, which means democracy in the Garden State will be that much stronger.
Because of the impact of the NJVEA, over the next year, New Jersey will:
- Establish a “preclearance” program to verify that certain proposed changes to the voting process will not harm voters of color;
- Provide new legal tools to fight discriminatory voting rules and practices in court;
- Expand language access and assistance for voters with limited English proficiency;
- Enact strong protections against voter intimidation, deception, and obstruction; and
- Create a central hub of election information.
New Jerseyans deserve a strong, inclusive, and representative democracy where every voice is heard, and the NJVEA is meaningful progress toward building that reality. But the work to protect and defend access to the ballot is not finished. New Jersey – and states across the country – can do more to safeguard voting rights as they continue to be eroded at the federal level.
In New Jersey’s upcoming General Election this November, we hope you will exercise your voting rights and make your voice heard on the issues that matter most to you. The frontlines of freedom are defended by the states, and the ACLU-NJ is using every tool at our disposal to defend our democracy.
But we cannot do this without people power: volunteer with us this election season, check your voter registration, know your rights at the polls, and make your voice heard loud and clear. Voting is power, and that power belongs to the people.