Aug. 6 marked the 60th Anniversary of the passage of the federal Voting Rights Act, which most historians would put on their top 10 list of most consequential acts ever passed by the U.S. Congress.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon reached out last week to observe the date and to encourage Minnesotans to continue their long history of strong voter turnout.
He said the legislation stands as one of the most significant civil rights achievements in our democracy.
“What it basically did in the summer of 1965 was finally and belatedly level the playing field for all Americans to enjoy the right to vote,” Simon said. “Many of whom had suffered terrible, terrible discrimination.”
He said Minnesota played an important role in passing the legislation 60 years ago.
“Minnesota was one of the relatively few states whose congressional delegation voted for it unanimously — the house members, the senators, the Democrats, the Republicans, rural, urban, and suburban —all voted yes,” Simon said.
“And what they were saying when they spoke with one voice was that when it comes to the big moral question, ‘who has the freedom to vote?’ that the Voting Rights Act was the right answer in ensuring that all eligible voters should vote without discrimination.”
Simon mentioned that that the act has suffered recent blows to its strength and authority in the courts, but apart from that it remains and endures as a powerful tool against discrimination in voting.
“That is our call today to make sure that everyone in America enjoys a true freedom to vote,” he said last week.
Here in Rock County, we are proud of our longstanding tradition of election education and strong voter turnout.
Our voter participation is consistently the best in the state, which is consistently the best in the nation.
But we know that protecting the right to vote is not something we can take for granted.
It requires ongoing collaboration, education and outreach, and here at the Rock County Star Herald we vow to continue being a trusted partner in advancing that shared mission.
And that is to ensure that every eligible Minnesotan has the information and opportunity they need to cast their ballot.
Happy Anniversary, Voting Rights Act of 1965. Congratulations on 60 years of making America a great nation of civic engagement.
