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Voting Rights Act

Elections

Voter suppression is still a deciding factor in Alabama elections

John Merrill is going to write me a snarky letter, and that’s OK.  I’m going to write a snarky column about Alabama’s voter suppression — and Merrill’s role in it — and I don’t write these things expecting everyone to agree. I write them so at least a few people will at least consider that … Continued
February 11, 2020

Federal court rules Alabama’s system of electing appellate judges constitutional

Attorney General Steve Marshall welcomed a federal court decision Wednesday upholding the constitutionality of Alabama’s system of electing appellate judges.  The Middle District Court of Alabama ruled against the Alabama NAACP and four individual voters who sought an injunction against the State’s method of electing appellate judges statewide on grounds that it contravenes Section 2 … Continued
February 7, 2020

Kamala Harris campaigns in Birmingham

U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate Kamala Harris, D-California, campaigned Friday in Birmingham as part of a Southern tour through that included stops in Montgomery and South Carolina. “This is an inflection moment in the history of our country,” Harris said. “Who are we? I think we all know part of that answer, and that is … Continued
June 10, 2019

Sewell, Leahy introduce the Voting Rights Advancement Act

Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, introduced legislation Tuesday to help address what they called “the most egregious forms of recent voter suppression” by developing a process to determine which states and localities with a recent history of voting rights violations must pre-clear election changes with the Department of Justice. “In my … Continued
February 28, 2019

Alabama’s continued honoring of Robert Lee is a slap in the face to black Americans

Today, the State of Alabama will honor two men. One was a man who advocated for peace and justice, who led peaceful protests and demanded non-violent resistance to abhorrent mistreatment of Americans based solely on the color of their skin. All across America, people will celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King … Continued
January 21, 2019

SPLC, Alabama civil rights organizations urge “no” vote on Kavanaugh

Friday, ten left leaning Alabama civil rights organizations, including the Alabama NAACP, the Greater Birmingham Ministries, Planned Parenthood Southeast, and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), issued a statement urging U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) and Doug Jones (D-Alabama) to vote against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. “Judge Kavanaugh’s troubling … Continued
September 17, 2018

For Selma to grow, things must change

By Mayor Darrio Melton Growing up inI never thought I would have the opportunity to be elected mayor. I always had a passion for this city, and I’ve spent my life working in the church and on all levels of government to try to make it a better place for all of us. Selma comes … Continued
February 23, 2017

Alabama’s failed redistricting plan could bring back preclearance

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter Preclearance could be making a return to Alabama. Three years after the US Supreme Court struck down sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required several states, including Alabama, to receive preclearance from the Department of Justice before making changes to State voting laws, Alabama Republicans might have … Continued
February 17, 2017

Jeff Sessions and the War on White People

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter There’s a war on white people in America. I know this because Rep. Mo Brooks, the whitest man in all of Alabama, has proclaimed it. Several times. That’s what’s tripping up Jeff Sessions at his confirmation hearing for US Attorney General. Not Sessions’ past comments. Not his deplorable track … Continued
January 12, 2017