In a Victory for Voting Rights and Equal Representation, Civil Rights Coalition Celebrates Supreme Court Decision in Moore v. Harper

Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Moore v. Harper:

“Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to protect judicial independence from politics is a critical victory for democracy. The ruling in Moore v. Harper protects voters against state politicians who believe they have unchecked power in redrawing maps for our election districts. This decision is an affirmation of the independent role of state courts to limit the anti-voter efforts by state legislatures seeking power grabs and to ensure all people, no matter their race or zip code, can fully participate in our democracy.

“The independent state legislature theory (ISLT), which sought to grant state legislatures all-encompassing power, was a radical, fringe theory that has been rejected by leaders on both sides of the aisle. This theory targets Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American voters, making it harder for our communities to make our voices heard. We are pleased the Supreme Court rejected this theory once and for all. Now, Congress must act without delay to pass federal protections for voters and ensure we can all participate in our democracy, no matter what we look like or where we live. If our votes did not matter, they would not be trying so hard to stop us from voting.

“This is the second time this month that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of protecting our democracy through voting rights. We will continue the fight to ensure all of us can participate in our democracy and hold accountable the elected officials who abuse their power.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights signed on to a “friend of the court” brief in Moore v. Harper.