Voting Rights

Voting Rights have once again become central to the public discourse. Claims of voter suppression and voter fraud are commonly made by differing political factions, and even the notion of the United States as democracy is being openly questioned. This course will explore the right to vote, particularly as granted under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, judicial interpretation of that right, and the effectuation of legal protections against discriminatory voting practices. It will also discuss the competing political and legal theories underpinning the right to vote, the role of federalism and separation of powers in ensuring the right to vote, and the role of race in American democracy.