Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Supreme Court Decision Threatens to Make Voter Suppression More Prevalent
In recent years, it has looked as if the US was finally making strides towards closing the racial disparity that has existed for centuries. The sentencing of Derek Chauvin, George Floyd’s murderer, in addition to a slew of other legal reforms had pointed toward minority groups finally having their voices heard. Unfortunately, this notion has been dispelled with a recent Supreme Court decision that will allow voter suppression - one of the biggest issues faced by minority groups – to remain commonplace in the US.
On July 9th 2021, the Supreme Court upheld an earlier decision regarding voting restrictions by 6-3 vote count, in a case known as Brnovich v. DN. The danger of this, however, is that it sets a precarious precedent, potentially rendering the opinion of many minority groups effectively useless as it relates to elections.
The decision, however controversial it was, fell in line with party leanings. Given that Republicans across the United States have recently proposed hundreds of bills that would make it harder to vote, this decision will likely reverberate around the nation.
What it means for the future of American democracy is unclear, but one thing is certain: it will further hamper the efficacy of the minority voter and benefit Republicans massively.
With the many obstacles to voting that minority groups face, the US has now come dangerously close to losing its moniker as the world’s foremost example of democracy. It seems that underneath this facade, the US faces major underlying issues with its judicial and political systems. During yet another divisive period, the country will have to weather yet another storm. Whether it can or not, however, remains to be seen.
Another major issue with the decision, other than thrusting the US into a world of uncertainty, is that it ignores the historic issue surrounding voter suppression. Justice Elena Kagan, a left-leaning Supreme Court Judge, espoused this thought, writing a scathing dissent in response to her colleagues’ decision. Explaining her view, she stated: “Maybe some think that voter suppression is a relic of history… [but the truth is] efforts to suppress the minority vote continue. No one would know this from reading the majority opinion.”
In the past election, a sizable 73.7% of eligible black voters voted, with 95% supporting Biden, per The Washington Post. With this and the above in mind, it becomes clear that this move to further voter suppression has been tactically constructed by the Republican Party and conservative Supreme Court judges.
All in all, the key things to remember here are that while this decision from the right may be beneficial to them, it has and will continue to have deep-rooted effects on America’s marginalized communities. Its impact is irrevocable and the precedent it sets for the future is dangerous to put it mildly. For the sake of American democracy, this decision needs to be reconsidered. Re-evaluated. And, ultimately, revoked.
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