Racial Turnout Gap

The Court’s conservative majority used outdated examples to say the racial gap in voter turnout has closed, but in reality, the gap is growing.

As the Court again weighs the fate of the Voting Rights Act, new research shows that the 2013 decision that hollowed out the law’s protections dramatically increased the racial turnout gap.

The difference in turnout between white and nonwhite voters has soared since 2008, especially in regions once covered by strict Voting Rights Act protections.

The gap is increasing nationwide, especially in counties that had been subject to federal oversight until the Supreme Court invalidated preclearance in 2013.