Making Sure That Only the Right People Vote

The post Making Sure That Only the Right People Vote appeared first on WhoWhatWhy.

When the demographics of the US electorate began to turn against Republicans, it appeared as though they only had two options: Adapt their policies to appeal to minorities and young people, or stay the course and risk slowly fading into irrelevance.

Unwilling to change their policies and unable to change the country’s demographics, the GOP instead chose a third option: Alter who can vote.

That’s why, once they gained full control of a state, Republicans quickly moved to consolidate their power. They gerrymandered congressional districts and passed laws that would make it more difficult for likely Democrats to vote.

When the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013 with its decision in Shelby County v. Holder, it removed one of the last remaining obstacles that stood between the GOP and the ability to pick an electorate more to its liking.

State Republicans immediately went to work and passed laws across the country to make that happen.

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