Sean Morales-Doyle

The appellate court said voters cannot sue to challenge discriminatory maps under the Voting Rights Act. The brief explains that's wrong, showing that courts, Congress, the Dep't of Justice, private attorneys, and others have long understood that Section 2 allows voters to do just that. 2/2

Today, a group of historians, including Brennan Center Historians Council member @alexkeyssar.bsky.social, filed a brief urging SCOTUS to hear Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe. 1/2 bit.ly/4gUM8mK

“In 2025 and 2026, it’s important for people to make a plan for how to vote, and to do it the way you are most comfortable.” — @seanmorales-doyle.bsky.social on The Briefing with Michael Waldman. Watch the full episode on the White House’s effort to seize control of elections: bit.ly/3Illt5U

A reminder that election certification law is already very clear: it's a mandatory legal duty, and county officials in Arizona (and across the country) have no discretion to refuse to certify final election results.

The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election The executive branch is interfering in U.S. elections in unprecedented ways.

It is also yet another sign that Trump's administration is following the Project 2025 playbook, despite Trump's attempts to distance himself from it. That would be bad for our elections, at a time when the administration is already engaged in a concerted effort to undermine them.

Taken together, it seems these investigations may seek retribution against political adversaries, which Trump and his allies have threatened repeatedly. That would be a serious abuse of power & a plainly inappropriate use of a law designed to protect rights of newly freed Black folks in the 1800s.

The details of the investigation are not yet public, but at around the same time the subpoenas were issued to James's office, AG Pam Bondi called on election denier Ed Martin to launch a separate investigation into James personally. He is also reportedly investigating Sen. Adam Schiff.

What’s Next for Elections Under the Project 2025 Agenda The administration is using executive actions and public threats to chill future efforts to safeguard elections.

As my colleague @lmillerkaralunas.bsky.social and I explained, Project 2025 proposed using that law to prosecute election officials that helped voters cast ballots 2020. This is obviously a little different because James is not an election official. But she is a top political rival of Trump's.

Justice Dept. Abruptly Escalates Pressure Campaign on a Trump Adversary

The NDNY US Attorney has reportedly issued 2 subpoenas to NY AG Letitia James's office under a 150-yr-old civil rights law in an investigation into whether the office violated Trump's civil rights or the NRA's in successful lawsuits vs each of them. Seems like a page straight out of Project 2025...

Trump’s Anti-Voter Agenda Crystallizes The administration is now the primary threat to election integrity.

Our new report connects the dots showing that the Trump administration has launched a campaign to undermine American elections. bit.ly/46ETsQp

Six Key Moments on the Road to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 As the landmark law turns 60, we trace the historic events that made it a bipartisan reality.

The Voting Rights Act turns 60 today. See how — against all odds — the transformative law came to be:
bit.ly/4fpZYN5

The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election The executive branch is interfering in U.S. elections in unprecedented ways.

MUST READ >> A new report from @brennancenter.org lays out a coordinated strategy being enacted by the Trump Administration to undermine free, fair, and secure elections using the federal government itself.

Learn more: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

One American’s Struggle to Vote in Texas Voting in the state suddenly became costly and arduous after Senate Bill 1 became law.

As our country celebrates the Voting Rights Act’s 60th anniversary, Texas lawmakers should be making it easier to vote, not harder. bit.ly/3HeIMgV

Freedom Rider Talks Voting Rights and Being Jailed for Testing Segregation Laws in 1961 The Voting Rights Act, a crowning achievement of the civil rights movement, turns 60 this week. It’s not in good shape.

In 1961, Black and white Freedom Riders traveled together on public transportation in defiance of the South’s segregation laws. Read an illuminating new interview with one of these brave activists: bit.ly/4fsYe5S

The Past, Present, and Future of the Voting Rights Act Experts discuss what remains of the landmark 1965 law after decades of attacks.

60 years ago today, LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act. It has since been gutted by SCOTUS & is on the brink of further destruction. Where do we go from here? Come hear me discuss with historian @alexkeyssar.bsky.social, congresswoman @repnikema.bsky.social & an attorney @nativerights.bsky.social

The Past, Present, and Future of the Voting Rights Act Experts discuss what remains of the landmark 1965 law after decades of attacks.

Just 9 days before the Voting Rights Act turns 60, the 8th Cir dealt another blow to the Act. A day later, @durbin.senate.gov & @warnock.senate.gov re-introed a bill to strengthen it. On 8/19, @repnikema.bsky.social, @alexkeyssar.bsky.social, @nativerights.bsky.social & I will discuss this and more.

The case in question was brought by @nativerights.bsky.social & @campaignlegal.org, who proved in the trial court that ND's redistricting map discriminated against Native voters.

To underscore how wild the theory it is, the 8th Circuit ruling is based on the idea that Congress didn’t really intend to protect any rights when it passed the Voting RIGHTS Act. 🤯

The Voting Rights Act Persists, but So Do Its Adversaries One of the law’s few remaining safeguards is under attack by rogue states, lower federal courts, and a plurality of the Supreme Court.

The stay from SCOTUS means they might take the case up (hopefully to reverse the 8th 🤞). Gorsuch, Alito, and Thomas said they would have denied the stay. No big surprise since Gorsuch and Thomas basically invited this fringe theory in their concurrence in a case called Brnovich v DNC.

The Importance of Letting Voters Defend Their Rights in Court Courts have recognized a "private right of action" in the Voting Rights Act since the law’s inception.

The 8th Circuit had embraced a radical theory that essentially meant voters couldn't sue under the VRA to challenge race discrimination in voting. Historically, Section 2 cases have mostly been brought by private plaintiffs, and DOJ enforcement seems particularly unlikely during the current admin.

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe The full Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear a case that ended the ability of voters in seven states to protect themselves from racially discriminatory voting practices by suing under S...

Today, SCOTUS put a hold on the 8th Circuit's terrible decision in the Turtle Mountain case, which held that private plaintiffs can't sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This is good news. It revives the VRA at least temporarily while SCOTUS considers whether to take the case.

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) requiring Trump to return control of the National Guard to CA Governor Newsom. The order is accompanied by a powerful opinion that affirms the rule of law, separation of powers, and the First Amendment. 1/23

Historians Martha Jones and Kate Masur have filed a critical new brief in the birthright citizenship cases, showing how the story of free Black Americans' advocacy for birthright citizenship unravels the admin's lead justification for its EO.

Read it ⬇️ www.brennancenter.org/media/13981/...

They wrote the books (literally) on the push for recognition of black citizenship.

The Guarantee of Birthright Citizenship Experts respond to the executive branch’s attack on a foundational right.

After you read--or better, BEFORE you read--RSVP for this June 12 online event with Martha, Kate, and Erika Lee, where they'll unpack the historical dimensions of the lawsuits surrounding birthright citizenship: brennan.swoogo.com/birthrightci...

What if I told you 2 award-winning historians wrote a timely and harrowing history of birthright citizenship... and just made it available for free?

Check out the latest amicus brief from @katemasur.bsky.social and @marthasjones.bsky.social here: www.brennancenter.org/media/13981/...

What North Carolina Can Teach us About the 2026 Elections Sean Morales-Doyle argues that a recent ruling in North Carolina draws an important line in the sand about elections.

As I wrote for TIME this morning, the recent ruling in the NC Supreme Court election contest reaffirms ahead of 2026 that while federal courts have let us down on voting rights a lot lately, they won't be used as tools to subvert election outcomes after the fact: time.com/7287238/nort...

Today, Judge Griffin conceded this election to Justice Riggs, saying he wouldn't appeal the decision. This means we still live in a world where votes are counted according to rules in place during the election and not some new set drawn up by a court after the fact. www.newsday.com/news/nation/...

A federal court ruled Justice Allison Riggs won her election to the NC Sup Ct b/c she got the most votes & you can't "change the rules of the game after it had been played." A state court previously tossed many votes, incl overseas votes of members of our client @usvotefoundation.bsky.social.

The president attending a private dinner followed by a tour of the White House for the largest investors in his crypto business is truly wild, even by today’s standards. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/t...