So far on this season of “Race Unwrapped,” host Michelle Tyrene Johnson has talked with experts about how voter suppression tactics weaken democracy — from the Reconstruction era to recent Supreme Court decisions. But others are also working to reverse the damage and make voting more accessible.
Caren Short is the Director of Legal and Research for the League of Women Voters. On the latest episode of “Race Unwrapped,” she joins Johnson to talk about her organization’s work to empower voters, and the influence each of us has to make positive change. Here’s part of their conversation, edited for clarity:
Do you just focus on women voters?
Our focus is encouraging everyone to get involved. But we also believe in the power of women, and believe that women do power democracy, and so that is where we harness our greatest strength — is through women.
What do you see as the big issue when it comes to voter suppression, and how does your organization try to address it? Typically, when people hear voter suppression, they're talking about race. Do you think that's still the case?
Absolutely, the central issue in voting and access to the ballot has always been and continues to be race.
We focus on a number of issues. We want to dismantle barriers to the ballot, barriers to political participation for everyone.
But also we find that so many of these issues are intersectional. If there's a law that is targeting or impacting voters with disabilities, that is also going to disproportionately affect Black voters and other voters of color, and we want to lift all boats.
What are some of the tactics that the League of Women Voters is particularly supportive of?
I manage our federal litigation, which is happening all over the country … but litigation is often a last resort. We don't want to have to get to the point where we litigate. And so our leagues across the country, including the national League, are, you know, in the corridors of legislatures of Congress, at city councils, advocating for the issues that matter to them and to their community, to prevent the situation where we have to go to court.
So, a great example is our People Powered Fair Maps program, which relates to redistricting. The national League and all of our local leagues and state leagues work together to ensure fair redistricting every 10 years. So we did it this last term, this last cycle, and secured fair maps in a number of communities. Those are maps and communities where we don't have to go in and litigate, and spend a lot of money and time and effort just to get what is constitutionally or federally required of these maps.
Is there a particular tactic or area of voting that you think most needs your attention, your focus, in these next few months?
Obviously, everyone is very focused on the presidential election. But one message that we try to consistently share, both at the national League and throughout all of our leagues and our members, is how critical local elections are. There's going to be something other than president on your ballot in November. Many states have statewide elections that are critical. Some states have judicial elections, sheriff elections. These are folks who have direct impact on your daily life, frankly, a lot more than the president — or the same, if not more, impact on your daily life.
Our website, VOTE411.org, is one of the most incredible resources for voters in every community. You can go and click on your state, you can click on where you're located and find out who's running, [and] if they've shared their positions on issues. You can download a sample ballot, and you have everything that you need for your election.
So many people are having — you know, we talk about this in the news business — news fatigue and election fatigue. How do you all kind of cut through the noise and combat that?
It's a very important question. It is hard work. I can't imagine how tired everyone is just thinking about elections all the time and the state of our country. It's really important that we at the league meet people where they are when we're out in the community, and talking to people, find out what issues are important to them, make sure that they feel empowered and have what they need to vote.
One thing that really energizes me, and I think my colleagues, is this newer generation of young voters. I mean, I know there's a lot of narrative about how young people just don't vote. I don't think that's true for this generation. The generations after me, which I think there are two now, after me — not to date myself — are incredibly politically involved. They care very much. They interact with each other about issues, and young people are going to have so much impact on these elections at every level: president, all the way down.
I want the conversations I have about voting [to] not just to be about how bad things are, but what are ways that voter suppression — to be blunt — can be battled? How do we get more people to vote?
Yeah, absolutely I agree that the message, particularly in an election year, needs to remind people that they have so much power in their vote. If your vote wasn't so powerful, nobody would be trying to suppress it so much.
One critical point is that people and legislators and lawmakers need to be working all together on every level to make voting an accessible, simple process for everyone who is eligible. That's unfortunately not happening in a lot of states.
Congress must restore the Voting Rights Act and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The devastation that has come from losing the protections of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act … has been monumental. And voters, particularly Black voters and other voters of color, are still climbing over those barriers, finding a way to vote despite these barriers that are placed in front of them.
Now through Election Day, "Race Unwrapped" is exploring race and democracy. Find it in your favorite podcast app, or at raceunwrapped.org.