To Honor Juneteenth, We Need Voting Rights
Juneteenth has not slowed the Republican assault on American multiracial democracy.
The Big Lie, conspiracy theories, and the whitewashing of history are all part of the GOP’s campaign strategy of disenfranchising millions of black and brown voters ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Before we can fully celebrate the freedom that Juneteenth represents, we must first defend democracy and secure voting rights for all Americans.
Their Power Over Elections, The New York Times | 9/19/2021
By Nick Corasaniti and Reid J. Epstein
LaGRANGE, Ga. — Lonnie Hollis has been a member of the Troup County election board in West Georgia since 2013. A Democrat and one of two Black women on the board, she has advocated Sunday voting, helped voters on Election Days and pushed for a new precinct location at a Black church in a nearby town.
But this year, Ms. Hollis will be removed from the board, the result of a local election law signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican. Previously, election board members were selected by both political parties, county commissioners and the three biggest municipalities in Troup County. Now, the G.O.P.-controlled county commission has the sole authority to restructure the board and appoint all the new members.
Lonnie Hollis in LaGrange, Ga. With Republican-led legislatures mounting an expansive takeover of election administration in a raft of new voting bills this year, local officials like Ms. Hollis have been some of the earliest casualties.Credit...Lynsey Weatherspoon for The New York Times