The recent Supreme Court decision upholding Arizona’s regressive voting laws is just the latest attack on voting rights since the 2020 election. Donald Trump’s rejection of Biden’s win and advancement of conspiracy theories caused a surge of baseless voter fraud claims, and seventeen states have since passed 28 laws making it harder to vote, including many that target already disenfranchised communities. Voters deserve to know why their elected officials are making it harder to vote, and whether they are catering to the whims of special interests and feeding into conspiracy theories about voter fraud.

CREW has filed public records requests with multiple state legislatures which have enacted voter suppression laws since the 2020 election, including Florida and Texas. CREW has requested records from state legislatures that might show discriminatory motives by legislators, such as knowledge that the laws would adversely affect minority groups, any evidence backing up the legislators’ claims that the laws would prevent purported voter fraud or irregularities, and communications with right wing advocacy groups, like the Heritage Foundation and Susan B. Anthony List, which have pushed these bills.

The public deserves to know whether special interests are influencing state legislators and more about the motivations behind bills that could disenfranchise already marginalized communities. Legislation should be based on facts and real benefits to the public, rather than fear mongering, undue outside influence, or conspiracy theories. Fundamental to our democracy, the right to vote must be protected and made more accessible rather than undermined and attacked.

FOIA requests

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