The Voting Rights Act at 60: A Dream Realized or a Rude Awakening?

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The Voting Rights Act at 60: A Dream Realized or a Rude Awakening?

Program Originally Presented Wednesday, August 7, 2025

As a follow-up to the exceptional summer Quarterly panel, this CLE continues the discussion and education regarding ensuring the voting rights for all Americans.

On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), effective the next day, August 7, 1965.  Supporters of this landmark federal legislation hoped to finally deliver on the promise of the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and end discriminatory practices that prevented Black and brown voters from registering to vote, voting, and fully participating in American democracy. This program will review the provisions of the VRA, significant amendments to the Act, historical antecedents, and the transformational impact of the statute. The panel will also address how the federal courts, especially the U.S. Supreme Court, have eroded the VRA’s effectiveness and made it much less useful as a tool for combating disenfranchisement. Additionally, the panel will provide an “on the ground” view of obstacles to voting, discuss how the evisceration of section 5 preclearance has caused the proliferation of restrictive voting laws that make it harder to vote, and explore legal alternatives to the VRA for safeguarding the fundamental right to vote, including guarantees of the right to vote in the Pennsylvania Constitution. The program will close with a discussion of pro-voter democracy reforms and what steps can be taken to strengthen voting rights.

This is a CAN'T MISS program for all!

Introduction:
Claude E. Ducloux, Esq.
Director of LawPay Education, Ethics and Compliance
LawPay Affinity Solutions

Panelists:
Benjamin Geffen, Esq.
Senior Attorney, Public Interest Law Center

A. Salewa Ogunmefun
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Voice

Marian K. Schneider, Esq.
Frmr. Deputy Secretary for Elections and Administration
Pennsylvania Department of State

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