The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered by many to be one of the most effective pieces of civil rights legislation in our nation's history.
Now as we head into the final stretch of the 2020 presidential election, it’s abundantly clear how necessary the law is.
Before the Voting Rights Act was in place, several states openly and legally suppressed the votes of African-Americans and other communities of color.
They used poll taxes and literacy tests — not to mention intimidation and brute force — to deny certain citizens the right to register to vote.
The Voting Rights Act made those laws and tactics illegal, giving millions of Americans a voice — by ensuring that they could exercise their right to vote.
Like most landmark legislation, the Voting Rights Act was controversial at the time. Some resented the prospect of federal involvement in state affairs, while others had uglier motives. The debate over the bill was sometimes bitter.
According to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, the Minnesota delegates were leaders in Washington. “Minnesotans did what they do best: they found common ground,” he wrote in a 2015 piece commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
Both major political parties in Minnesota came together around voting rights for all Americans, he said.
“In 1965, Minnesota's congressional delegation was very divided politically and disagreed sharply on many prominent issues of the day — Vietnam, Medicare, immigration,” Simon said.
“But when the roll was called on the Voting Rights Act, Minnesota's delegation spoke with one voice. All of our voting members — senators and representatives, Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives — voted to affirm the fundamental right to vote for all Americans.”
Gone were literacy tests, poll taxes, "character" tests and other barriers.
Yet 55 years later, barriers still remain, especially with our divided political rhetoric and especially during a pandemic that prevents gathering in large crowds at polling places.
Again, today Minnesota is a leader in breaking down barriers and accommodating voters in nearly every scenario of voter difficulty.
Having trouble getting to the polls? Have questions? Call your county elections office. There are very few hurdles that can’t be overcome. In Rock County, the phone number is 507-283-5060.
Simon urged voters not to become complacent.
Minnesota Congressman John Blatnik in 1965 wrote, "We in Congress are charged with the responsibility of ensuring our citizens the privilege of voting. Please know that I will be restless until this responsibility is fully discharged."
Simon said, “That word, ‘restless,’ is simple and fitting. It's a call to action, even now. Especially now … We should all be restless in the pursuit of voting access, election integrity and a stronger democracy.”
'We should all be restless in the pursuit of voting access ...'
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Star Herald Editorial