Last month the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, over 20 of our partner organizations, and more than 300 citizens from all around the state came together on the lawn of the state capitol with one simple message: we demand our voting rights now.
We were rallying in support of Senator Royce Duplessis’ State Voting Rights Act, which will be heard in committee later this week. After our press conference, a member of the press asked, “Why now?”
The truth is, we can’t afford to wait.
Last year, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. This seminal piece of legislation was transformational for Black political power in this country, as well as other voters of color and all women.
It broke down barriers that had been deliberately constructed to silence Black voters and opened the door for a more representative democracy for everyone.
But anniversaries are not victories. They are reminders.
The Louisiana State Voting Rights Act (SB 365) will be heard Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Senate’s Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
Those unable to be present can submits comments and watch via live stream.
What the world looked like before the Voting Rights Act
As we await the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, we are forced to reflect on what the world looked like before the Voting Rights Act. The parallels today are hard to ignore. It was a time when Black communities were deliberately packed together or split apart to weaken their political power to prevent the election of candidates of their choice.
Those practices were outlawed under Section 2 of the VRA, yet that very protection is now under challenge.
Before the VRA, Black voters were also denied access to the ballot through poll taxes and other financial barriers. Today, Congress debates the SAVE Act, which would impose new burdens by requiring documents such as passports or birth certificates (documents many eligible voters do not have), creating yet another costly and unnecessary barrier to participation.
That is where we find ourselves today.
Across the country, and here in Louisiana, we are witnessing a steady unraveling of the protections that once made our democracy more inclusive. Court decisions have weakened federal oversight. Policies that appear neutral on their face continue to have disproportionate impacts on Black voters and other historically marginalized communities.
And too often, when communities raise their voices to challenge these inequities, they are met with delay, deflection, or silence.
Our voting rights under attack
What we saw at the Capitol last month was not just a rally. It was a demonstration of people power in its clearest form. Students, faith leaders, community advocates, and everyday citizens stood shoulder to shoulder, not because it was convenient, but because it was necessary.
They came from all over the state, from rural parishes and urban neighborhoods alike. The citizens of Louisiana understand the urgency of this moment and why this must happen now. Our voting rights are under attack, and we must act now or risk losing many of the protections we have taken for granted.
The State Voting Rights Act before the legislature represents an opportunity to meet this moment with the seriousness it demands.
At its core, this legislation is about accountability. It is about stopping voter suppression and discriminatory practices that continue to impact more than a third of the state’s population, which is African American. It is about preventing unfair and racially dilutive voting maps at every level of government. And it is about ensuring that communities can defend their rights in Louisiana courts without waiting years for federal action.
These are not radical ideas. In 2024, Black voters got to vote on a fair Congressional map for the first time in decades. The map lasted for one election before it was immediately challenged and thrown into uncertainty by the ongoing legal process.
That is why this moment matters.
Sending a clear signal that Louisiana is committed to protecting our democracy
The people who gathered at the Capitol were not asking for special treatment. They were demanding equal treatment. They were not calling for partisan advantage. They were calling for fair representation.
They were speaking from lived experience. We have fought, and organized, and won fair representation in this state before, and we aren’t going back. Even in this moment of sustained attack in the courts, in the legislature, and on the National political stage, we are not going anywhere. The voters of this state and the Power Coalition are not ceding any ground. We demand voting rights.
To lawmakers, the path forward is clear: Pass the State Voting Rights Act.
Passing a State Voting Rights Act will not solve every wrong overnight. No single piece of legislation can.
But it will send a clear signal that Louisiana is committed to protecting our democracy. It will give us the tools to build a fair system here at home and move us closer to the promise made 60 years ago, which has yet to be fully realized.
This work is not new.
Senator Duplessis’ bill, the Louisiana Voting Rights Act, lays the foundation for this work, as it is written: “To preserve the integrity of our democracy and principle of fair representation, the state has a compelling interest in taking every necessary steps to protect the freedom to vote against efforts to deny or abridge this fundamental right.”
The legislation then outlines the important protections that Louisiana must take to protect this fundamental right, even as it is threatened at the federal level.
Louisiana voters, Black and White, have been fighting for fair maps and representation, since the beginning of the redistricting process. They keep showing up! They are ready to speak out! They are ready to ensure that their voices are not just heard, but respected!
So, “Why now?”
Because the people are ready, the need is urgent, and our democracy is on the line.
We cannot afford to wait.
Ashley K. Shelton is the founder, president and CEO of the Power Coalition, a statewide civic engagement table in Louisiana that builds power in historically disenfranchised communities through organizing, advocacy and civic engagement. Under her leadership, the coalition has educated and engaged over a million voters statewide. Using an integrated voter engagement strategy, the organization focuses on increasing voter participation and supporting base-building organizations in growing long-term capacity.
