News

The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) along with a coalition of other voting rights organizations have taken further legal action against the state of Tennessee in response to its new voter suppression law. Together with our partners, we filed a “Notice of Noncompliance” stating that the new law directly and substantially violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). We are demanding that Tennessee remedy these violations within 90 days or face further litigation and penalties.

The Tennessee law, one of the most restrictive and anti-democratic in the nation, flagrantly violates the spirit and requirements of the NVRA. It places significant and arbitrary barriers on organizations engaged in voter registration, which is in direct conflict with the intent and purpose of the NVRA. The NVRA was enacted to increase the number of registered voters, enhance voter participation, protect election integrity, and ensure that states maintain accurate voter rolls. The new Tennessee law also imposes threats of civil and criminal penalties, up to a maximum of $10,000 and one year in jail, depending on a range of voter registration activities. This law is an intentional and unconstitutional assault on voting rights. It is designed to discourage organizations from registering voters by employing intimidation tactics and imposing onerous burdens.

This new legal action follows the lawsuit that we filed against the state of Tennessee in Federal Court earlier this month when the Governor signed the bill into law. Our lawsuit contends that the Tennessee law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution, including citizens’ free speech, free association, and civil and due process rights. This law infringes on our most fundamental rights and we will continue to fight it.

Click here to read the click here to read the full NVRA Notice Letter.