It’s amazing. Nearly 50 years after the Civil Rights Act, we’re still struggling to ensure that everyone can vote. That’s why our number of the day is good news:
FIVE.
That’s how many court opinions about voting went the right way this week.
In Ohio, the court struck down a law that would have kept anyone besides military personnel from voting early in the three days before an election. A judge also said Ohio had to count improperly cast ballots if the mistake is caused by an election worker instead of the voter.
In Texas, the court said a strict photo I.D. law is unfair to poor and minority voters. The state also had a new, discriminatory redistricting plan halted.
And in a new state law in Florida, a federal judge barred provisions that restricted voter registration drives by third-party groups such as the League of Women Voters.
These are among many laws that have been appearing recently in several states. They don’t address any real voter-fraud issues, and they are transparent attempts to control and restrict the vote.
The courts that denied these laws helped protect not only the right to vote — but also the ability to vote.
