After Ruling, NAACP Pledges Voting Fight

Edward DuBose, the president of Georgia’s NAACP says he was appalled by the Court’s decision. 

“Medgar Evers died for that right to vote. Dr. King was killed for the right to vote. The four little girls in Birmingham were killed for the right to vote,” DuBose said at a press conference.

The U.S. Supreme Court justices said the law was based off of old data and didn’t reflect racial progress.

But Kevin Myles, the NAACP’s Southeast Regional Director, says protections are still necessary because discrimination still exists.

“To say that there’s no need for any scrutiny, there’s no need to take a second look, no need for any safeguards, because it used to be much worse —  that’s not a compelling argument,” Myles said.

Myles says the NAACP will work with federal and state governments on voting rights issues.  

“In the interim, while Congress figures out how to get its act together, we also have to look at state-based legislation,” Myles said.

The NAACP is also working on strengthening Section 2 of the Voter Rights Act, which deals with discriminatory intent.