Trenton – In an effort to protect and defend the rights of voters, Senator Troy Singleton introduced SR-28, which would urge the United States Congress to adopt comprehensive voting rights legislation.
“For far too long, marginalized communities across the country have been denied access to fair and equal voting rights. Historically, the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed barriers–such as poll taxes and literacy tests–put in place to prevent people of color from voting. Unfortunately, many of its protections have been rolled back in recent years,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “The United States Congress has an obligation and opportunity to do the right thing and ensure that all Americans, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, are able to cast their vote in a fair manner.”
Efforts to restrict access to voting have increased with many states passing laws requiring certain kinds of identification, giving voters less time to obtain mail-in ballots, and imposing criminal penalties for handing out waters for voters waiting at the polls. Nineteen states succeeded in passing 34 restrictive voting laws last year.