Chicago Lawyers’ Committee Urges State Action to Protect Voters in Response to SCOTUS Decision on Section 2 of Federal VRA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2026
Contact:
Zindy Marquez
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
zmarquez@clccrul.org
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Urges Immediate State Action to Protect Voters in Response to Supreme Court Decision on Section 2 of the Federal Voting Rights Act
Lawmakers must pass the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2026 to protect voters from further erosion of federal voting protections
CHICAGO, IL (April 29, 2026) — Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais eviscerates one of our nation’s most sacred civil rights protections, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This decision is an alarming setback for the promise of fair and equal representation in our democracy. As Justice Kagan states in the dissent, “[t]oday's decision renders Section 2 all but a dead letter”, making it harder for voters, particularly Black and Latine voters, to defend themselves against vote dilution and racial discrimination in voting.
The Voting Rights Act (VRA) is widely hailed as the “crown jewel” of the Civil Rights Movement and for nearly 60 years, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act has been one of the nation’s most powerful tools to combat racial discrimination in voting. Today’s ruling puts our multiracial democracy at risk and opens the door to greater racial inequities in our elections nationwide.
“People risked and lost their lives in the fight to pass the federal Voting Rights Act. Today’s ruling eviscerates these protections and threatens the future of our multiracial democracy,” said Ami Gandhi, Director of the Midwest Voting Rights Program with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “The Court’s decision puts the diversity of our elected bodies and representation of all communities at risk. Voters of color should have a fair say in our democracy. This decision leaves communities across the country vulnerable to racial discrimination in voting and makes clear that the fight for voting rights must intensify in the states.”
In response to increasing rollbacks of federal protections, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is working closely with coalition partners to pass the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2026 (SB3170) that will streamline and strengthen protections for voting rights for Black, Brown, and Asian American voters and voters whose first language is not English.
“Illinois lags far behind other states that have already passed broad, bold, voting rights protections through state Voting Rights Acts in the face of the continued erosion of federal voting protections, including with today’s decision. Illinois must step up to protect voters and has the opportunity to do that this legislative session by passing the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2026,” said Conner Kozisek, Program Counsel with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “While Callais concerned Congress’s authority under the Constitution, it did not limit states’ power to protect their own voters — making state action like the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2026 even more urgent. The Illinois Voting Rights Act would help ensure that voters in Illinois are protected from discrimination in voting. We must fight for the future of our multiracial democracy and passing the Illinois Voting Rights Act is the first step.”
Today’s decision affirms the urgent need for state-level action to protect voting rights and preserve fair participation for all communities, especially for communities of color. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights will continue working alongside community partners, advocates, lawmakers, and voters to ensure that every eligible voter has a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy.
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