The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would update and reinforce safeguards in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that have been eroded in recent years by federal court rulings.
The legislation would strengthen American democracy by re-establishing preclearance for jurisdictions with a pattern of voting rights violations, protecting minority communities subject to discriminatory voting practices and defending election workers from threats and intimidation. The bill is named in honor of voting rights champion and former Congressman John Lewis.
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia joined all of their Senate Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the bill on July 31. The legislation is especially relevant in Texas where, following historic disapproval of congressional Republicans’ megabill, Texas state lawmakers are attempting to redistrict before the 2026 elections to pick up additional Republican House seats. The move comes in direct response to President Trump’s fears that voters may flip the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms.
“The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy and we have a moral obligation to ensure that every American can make their voice heard at the ballot box. In the years since the Supreme Court gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, we’ve seen a wave of state-level efforts, like the one underway in Texas, designed to disenfranchise voters and rig the rules for partisan gain. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a critical step toward protecting access to the ballot while honoring the legacy of a civil rights hero who dedicated his life to the fight for full participation in our democracy,” Warner and Kaine said.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s damaging Shelby County decision in 2013, which gutted the federal government’s ability under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prevent discriminatory changes to voting laws and procedures, states across the country have unleashed a torrent of voter suppression schemes that have systematically disenfranchised tens of thousands of American voters. The Supreme Court’s decision in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (2021) delivered yet another blow to the Voting Rights Act, by making it significantly harder for plaintiffs to win lawsuits under the landmark law against discriminatory voting laws or procedures.
The John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act is supported by 178 organizations.
Congresswomen Jennifer McClellan of Virginia and Terri Sewell of Alabama introduced H.R. 4894, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act, to address the rise in deceptive voter suppression practices and intimidation in federal elections. The bill is cosponsored by 32 House members.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland plans to introduce the Senate companion legislation.
In response to an increase in misinformation and intimidation surrounding federal elections and continued efforts to undermine fair and free elections, H.R. 4894 criminalizes knowingly spreading false information about the time, place, or manner of voting, or voter qualifications, and threatening or coercing individuals to not vote or vote a certain way.
“In a government by, of and for the people, the right to vote is sacred. Yet, my great-grandfather had to take a literacy test and find three white men to vouch for him before he could exercise that right. My grandfather and father had to pay poll taxes to register to vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ended such voter suppression tactics. Now, 60 years later, we are witnessing new voter suppression and intimidation tactics to erode that progress. I will fight to protect everyone’s right to vote from these new threats. That’s why I introduced a bill to better uphold free and fair elections — because every American should be able to access reliable information about elections and vote the way they choose, without being intimidated or intentionally deceived,” McClellan said.
According to Sewell, America‘s electoral process is vulnerable to bad actors in the new age of misinformation and disinformation. The bad actors would like to mislead voters, suppress turnout and create chaos.
“At a time when many are working to undermine confidence in our elections, it is essential that we put in place protections against these malicious tactics. As a proud daughter of Selma and the Representative of Alabama’s Civil Rights district, I am proud to join Congresswoman McClellan in introducing this legislation which would safeguard reliable information for voters so that they can make well informed decisions at the polls,” Sewell said.
Alsobrooks said that freedom to vote includes access to accurate information about elections.
“Those looking to intimidate and spread false information about our free and fair elections must be held accountable — the strength of our democracy depends on it. I am proud to work alongside my friend, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who has worked tirelessly for years to strengthen our voting rights. Together, I know we can get this done,” Alsobrooks said.
The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act would:
Assign criminal penalties for deceptive practices and intimidation;
Require authorities to take corrective actions when disinformation is reported;
Mandate reporting by the DOJ after each general election on deceptive practices complaints received; and
Address challenges created by new artificial intelligence-generated disinformation
The legislation is endorsed by the Brennan Center for Justice, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, People For the American Way, End Citizens United, and NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
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Rebecca Barnabi
