Alabama Paradox
In June 2013, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the landmark US Supreme Court case, Shelby County v. Holder, ruling unconstitutional the section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) that required any state with a significant history of voter discrimination to pre-clear any voting-related law changes with the US Department of Justice (DOJ). This ruling by the Supreme Court was a major victory for many in Alabama and other states with a long-established record of voter discrimination as it freed them from federal government restrictions on how they were permitted to modify local and state laws related to voting.
Yet, despite this victory for Alabama, the state of Alabama still remains an epicenter for voter discrimination and suppression. It is in this context that the Alabama Paradox was born. The paradox is that despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Alabama is still one of the most restrictive states in the nation when it comes to voter registration and turnout. In the state of Alabama, the voter registration rates are some of the lowest in the country and the barriers to access the polls are numerous and often complicated.
The 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision originated in part because state after state had changed the voting laws in order to create barriers for certain communities, such as African Americans and low-income families, to exercise their right to vote. This type of discrimination has been rampant in Alabama for decades despite the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After Shelby County v. Holder, Alabama began passing a series of voting rights laws in order to make voting more difficult for certain communities.
These measures included the implementation of an onerous voter ID law, restrictions on voting by mail, and limits on early voting. These measures have had a real impact on the ability for many in the state to simply cast a ballot. For example, research shows that the implementation of the voter ID laws has impacted the voter registration rate of African Americans in the state of Alabama, decreasing it by 2.3%. In addition, the state has also closed numerous polling sites, making it harder for people, especially those in rural areas, to vote.
The Alabama Paradox, therefore, presents a classic example of the dangers of not having strong voting laws in place to protect the right to vote of all citizens. Despite the victory of Shelby County v. Holder, voting laws in Alabama remain some of the most restrictive in the nation, with entire communities faced with unfair and bureaucratic obstacles when attempting to exercise their right to vote. The contradiction between the Court’s ruling and the reality of voting in Alabama highlights the importance of having strong and protective voting laws in place and the dangers posed when these laws are absent.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder has created a situation in which many states have enacted a series of laws that make it more difficult for certain communities to exercise their right to vote. This is the case in Alabama, and it has resulted in a paradoxical situation in which the very decision that led to more restrictions on voting has actually had the opposite effect. Rather than creating an environment in which voting is fair and accessible, it has resulted in increased discrimination and suppression at the polls. This is an issue that all Americans must remain vigilant about, as the right to vote is essential to the functioning of our democracy.
