The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey, a bill that will protect and expand voting rights in New Jersey. The following statement can be attributed to ACLU-NJ Associate Director of Civic Engagement Alejandra Sorto:

“We commend the advancement of the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey through the Senate Judiciary Committee. This critical legislation will remove barriers to voting that disproportionally harm voters of color across the state. The Senate must swiftly pass the strongest possible version of this bill, supported by the work of sponsors Senators Turner and Cryan, to ensure that all voters, especially voters of color, call fully exercise their right to vote. We’ve seen the impact of the deliberate destruction of the federal Voting Rights Act – the racial turnout gap has consistently grown across the country in the last decade, including here in New Jersey. We urge the Senate to immediately advance a robust version of this bill and send it to Governor Sherrill’s desk to become law – our democracy depends on it.”

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The ACLU of New Jersey has defended liberty and justice guided by the vision of a fair and equitable New Jersey for all since our founding in 1960. Our mission is to preserve, advance, and expand the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions in courts, in the legislature, and in our communities. We strive to be anti-racist and are actively committed to advancing racial justice for the people of New Jersey. We are a non-partisan organization that operates across political, legal, and cultural fronts to bring about change and build a more equitable society. www.aclu-nj.org