The Center for Civil and Human Rights is making plans for a faculty panel discussion on voting rights in the United States. “The Right to Vote: Shaping an American Electorate” is scheduled to be held the day before Super Tuesday, when 14 states will hold their primary or caucus.
In light of recent developments in a number of states to change voting registration procedures, the February 29 event will focus attention on many of the topics implicated in these current debates on voting rights in the U.S. In addition to reviewing the history of voting rights violations, faculty participants will explore the issues of voter ID laws, early voting, voter fraud, and federal oversight of state voting practices.
The question of who has access to the vote, and how that access is granted or controlled, is fundamental to the history of American civil rights and remains a particularly important issue today, explains CCHR Acting Director Jennifer Mason McAward. “Voting rights is one of the issues that spurred the creation of the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame,” says McAward. “Ensuring the free, fair, and vigorous exercise of the vote is of particular importance during this election season.”
Participating in the panel will be Professors McAward (Notre Dame Law School), Luis Fraga (Arthur Foundation Endowed Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership), and Dianne Pinderhughes (Chair, Dept. of Africana Studies). David Campbell (Chair, Dept. of Political Science) will act as moderator for the event. Student groups across campus have also lent their support, including ND Votes, Human Rights ND, College Republicans, College Democrats, Bridge ND, the American Constitution Society, and the Federalist Society.
The panel will take place on Monday, February 29, at 12:30 p.m. in 1140 Eck Hall of Law.