National Lawyers Council

Mission Statement

The Democratic National Committee's National Lawyers Council (NLC) is a nationwide coalition of Democratic volunteer lawyers and law students committed to promoting and protecting a strong democracy through advancing an accessible, open and fair election process. It is our mission to ensure that every eligible citizen is allowed to vote and know that his or her vote is counted. The NLC works closely with the Party at the national, state and local levels to promote voting rights and to identify and combat problems that undermine those rights. While the NLC coordinates with the Party on other issues, its foremost objective is to organize early in every state and territory to carry out the Democratic Party's commitment to this goal.

The Work

The NLC has begun preparations for the 2010 midterm elections.For the 2008 presidential cycle, the national leadership of the NLC worked to recognize ways to facilitate the voting process, identifying potentially problematic methods of election administration, developing best practices for voter protection, and creating voter education materials. In-state leadership formed relationships with local election officials, working to prevent potential problems, and recruiting county-lead lawyers to manage poll watching operations during the early vote period and on Election Day. State leadership also worked with the state party to conduct legal research, produce training materials, and determine if litigation is necessary. As part of NLC's ongoing analysis of election laws and administration, working groups studied specific issues that can arise directly before, on or after Election Day. Additionally, to ensure that the votes of historically disenfranchised populations are protected, the national leadership formed Voter Protection Task Forces to study demographic-specific election administration issues and create tailored voter education materials.

If you are interested in participating in the efforts of the National Lawyers Council, please email: voterprotection@dnc.org

Latest NLC News

Chairman Kaine Reacts to the Supreme Court's Ruling in RNC v. FEC

June 29, 2010 - “I am proud to stand with voters, candidates, fair election advocates and Democrats across the country in applauding today’s decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the ban on soft money contributions to political parties."
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Michigan Secretary of State Agrees to Stop Unlawful Voter Purge Programs

June 25, 2010 - Today, the State of Michigan reached a settlement with the ACLU and the Advancement Project in a suit brought by those groups in September 2008 to challenge voter purge programs that violated the National Voter Registration Act (also known as the Motor-Voter Act). The settlement comes two years after a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking Michigan’s Secretary of State, Terri Lynn Land, from a policy and practice of rejecting a voter’s registration when a voter ID card is returned to election officials as undeliverable. The state also removed from the rolls voters who had applied for out-of-state driver’s licenses. This agreement ensures that voters won’t be disenfranchised as a result of simple postal errors or because they obtained a driver’s license in another state.
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What They're Saying: Elena Kagan Nominated for Supreme Court Justice

May 11, 2010 - Chicago Sun Times: "Great pick -- now let's have a serious hearing" Kagan is a superb pick for the court. She possesses the fine legal mind and bridge-building temperament necessary to be an effective swing vote. We can imagine her...
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On the Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Continuing the Fight for Voting Rights

March 7, 2010 - Forty five years ago today, 600 peaceful civil rights marchers attempted to walk from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. They didn't get far before they were beaten, gassed, and whipped. Their courage changed the perception of the civil rights movement permanently, and lead to passage of the Voting Rights Act to put a stop to efforts to keep minorities from voting.
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DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Says Supreme Court Ruling on Campaign Finance Undermines Free and Fair Elections and Democracy - Must Not be Allowed to Stand

January 21, 2010 - Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Supreme Court’s decision on the Citizens United campaign finance case today:
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“This is wrong, and it is illegal.”

December 3, 2009 - On Tuesday a federal court rejected an attempt by the Republican National Committee to nullify a consent decree that has been in place since 1982 to provide for minority voter protection. The court found that there is “no indication” that voter registration fraud threatens the integrity of elections, and called the RNC’s so-called “ballot security” measures “politically-motivated.”
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DNC Hails Decision to Keep in Place Consent Decree Barring Republicans From Voter Intimidation

December 2, 2009 - DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and DNC Vice Chair for Voter Registration and Participation Donna Brazile issued the following statement on yesterday’s ruling by the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey keeping in place a consent decree barring the Republican National Committee from voter intimidation and asserting that Republicans still have an incentive to engage in such illegal practices. Late last year the RNC asked that the consent decree, which it agreed to in 1982, be nullified, going so far as to argue that because the President and U.S. Attorney General are African American, there is no longer any reason for Republicans to be subject to limits on efforts to engage in “ballot security measures.”
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Growing trend towards same day registration

November 6, 2009 - The trend towards same day registration continues to grow this week, with the Council of the District of Columbia passing a voter registration reform bill that includes a provision for same day registration.

The Omnibus Election Reform Act is expected to boost voter participation rates in the District, which are below the national average. In the 2008 presidential election, D.C. ranked among the 15 states with the lowest voting rates.
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Senator Russ Feingold and Representative Keith Ellison Reintroduce the Same Day Registration Act

October 29, 2009 - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) are reintroducing the Same Day Registration Act, which would expand access to voting by permitting eligible voters to register at polling locations in all federal elections.

This Act will make registration easier for eligible voters and is expected to significantly increase voter turnout.
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Georgia seeks court approval of discriminatory voter verification process over objections of state attorney general

October 16, 2009 - Update: Over the objections of its Attorney General, the State of Georgia has filed a complaint against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, seeking judicial preclearance of its voter verification process under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and, in the alternative, a declaration that Section 5 is unconstitutional. Georgia is one of nine states, all with a history of discrimination, which are required by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to submit all new voting procedures to DOJ or a federal court for “preclearance” prior to implementation. Georgia claims that its election officials need to identify the citizenship status of voters, but cannot point to any systemic problems of non-citizen voting. The U.S. Department of Justice has twice refused to preclear the new procedures, on the grounds that they incorrectly flag thousands of eligible minority voters as non-citizens. Georgia’s Attorney General Thurbert Baker -- responsible for representing the interests of the state -- refused to file the suit, asserting that the lawsuit was without merit and a waste of taxpayer money. Despite Mr. Baker's decision, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed a special attorney general to file on the state’s behalf.
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Indiana court declares that voter ID law violates state constitution, Secretary of State seeks state supreme court review

October 16, 2009 - The Indiana Secretary of State has asked the state supreme court to review a decision striking down Indiana’s voter identification law. The court of appeals held last month that the law violates the Indiana constitution by requiring some voters, but not others, to produce a photo ID as a condition to voting.

States are increasingly imposing restrictive ID requirements. These laws disproportionately affect senior citizens, low-income voters, students and people with disabilities who have more difficulty obtaining a photo ID.

The Democratic National Committee supports an open and accessible election process. We will continue to monitor developments in this case and others.
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Senate Rules Committee to Look at Potential Impact of Sale of Diebold Voting Machine Business to Largest Competitor

October 9, 2009 - The Senate Rules Committee announced today that it will look into the proposed sale of Diebold’s voting machine subsidiary, Premier, to the company’s largest competitor, Election Systems & Software (ES&S). The merger would result in ES&S acquiring about 70% of the voting machine market. Voting rights advocates have expressed concerns over the implications of the sale, citing possible anti-trust law violations and concerns that ES&S’s monopoly could undermine the reliability and integrity of elections.
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South Dakota Department of Public Safety Driver’s Licensing Stations to Remain Open, Citing Possibility of Voting Rights Act Litigation

September 30, 2009 - South Dakota’s Department of Public Safety will continue to operate driver’s licensing stations in two counties with high American Indian populations, citing the possibility of a challenge under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Section 5 is important because it requires certain states with a history of discrimination to submit any changes to voting procedures for review by the U.S. Department of Justice or to a federal court—what is called preclearance.

Residents of the two counties in South Dakota said that the closures would require them to drive significant distances to get the driver’s license or photo ID card that are necessary to vote in the state, and that the closures would have a large effect on Native American voters. A recent report by the ACLU found that Native American voters in South Dakota and elsewhere continue to face significant obstacles to voting, including electoral systems that dilute Native voting strength; burdensome voter ID requirements; lack of language assistance at the polls; and discriminatory voter registration procedures.

The problems facing Native American voters show that ongoing, strong enforcement of the Voting Rights Act is necessary to protect the voting rights of people across the country. Please join the Democratic National Committee in continuing to support the Voting Rights Act and a voting process that is open and accessible to all eligible voters.
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Federal court upholds Massachusetts law in face of challenge under Voting Rights Act

August 6, 2009 - Today, in the case of Simmons v. Galvin, the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Massachusetts law prohibiting persons with felony convictions from voting while they are incarcerated. A group of incarcerated felons challenged the law, arguing that because the percentage of people incarcerated on felony convictions in Massachusetts who are African American or Latino is higher than the percentage of those groups in the state population at large, the law does not follow non-discrimination requirements in the Voting Rights Act. The court rejected this claim, finding that Congress did not pass the Voting Rights Act to extend voting rights to incarcerated felons.

Felony disenfranchisement laws bar more than 5 million American citizens from voting. Nationwide, 13 percent of African American men are unable to vote because of the laws.

The Democratic National Committee will continue to monitor developments in this case and others involving the Voting Rights Act.
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Al Franken sworn in as Minnesota’s second U.S. senator, following 8-month recount process

July 7, 2009 - After an eight-month recount process, Al Franken was sworn in today as Minnesota’s Junior Senator. He joins Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) as Minnesota’s second U.S. senator and is the 60th member of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Senator Franken’s victory was confirmed on June 30th when the Minnesota Supreme Court verified the results of the state’s recount of nearly three million, all-paper ballots cast in the election. In signing the certificate of election, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie credited Minnesota’s exclusive use of paper ballots with making a smooth recount process possible.

This election was an important reminder of the need for transparent and reliable voting methods. The Democratic National Committee urges lawmakers to adopt regulations that mandate the transparent administration of elections, including accurate and reliable post-election audits and recounts.
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U.S. Supreme Court Issues Decision on Voting Rights Act, Leaving Non-Discrimination Requirement Intact

June 22, 2009 - In a victory for voting rights groups, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision today in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder, leaving intact Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965—widely considered this country’s most successful piece of civil rights legislation. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called the case “perhaps the most important of the term.”

Voting rights groups applauded the Court for deciding the case purely on the bailout question. But the Court’s opinion hinted that Section 5 may be susceptible to future challenges.

Under Section 5, states and local governments with a history of discrimination must “preclear” any changes to their election laws or procedures, ensuring that the proposed changes do not have the effect of discriminating on the basis of ethnicity, race or language.

A jurisdiction covered by the Act may seek an exemption from the preclearance requirement by demonstrating that it has satisfied the Act’s “bailout” criteria and that there has been no history of discrimination for a 10-year period.

In the case, the Supreme Court held that the district in question did not have a history of explicit discrimination and could seek a “bailout.” The Court declined to decide whether Section 5 is still constitutional.

The Democratic National Committee strongly supports the Voting Rights Act, and a voting process that is open and accessible to all eligible voters. We applaud the Court’s decision in this case and encourage them to continue to uphold this important legislation.
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John McCain and Republican Party Must End Hypocrisy on Voter Registration Fraud and Sever Ties with Tainted GOP Operatives Immediately

October 21, 2008 - On a conference call today, the National and California State Democratic Parties called on the Republican Party to end their hypocrisy on voter registration fraud and sever all ties with long-time GOP Operative Mark Jacoby. Jacoby is the owner of Young Political Majors (YPM) who was arrested in California last weekend on two counts of voter registration fraud and two counts of perjury. Jacoby faced allegations of voter fraud in 2004 when he worked for Arno Political Consultants. YPM is currently under contract with the California State Republican Party to register voters. John McCain's California Co-Chair is also a leading supporter of the CA Republican State Party's voter registration efforts. Just yesterday, campaign finance reports revealed that the MCCain-Palin campaign and the RNC have paid Nathan Sproul, a Republican operative who has faced numerous charges of unethical and potentially illegal activity surrounding voter registration.
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GOP Operative Allegedly Tricked Voters into Registering as Republicans

October 21, 2008 - A Republican operative was arrested yesterday on charges of voter registration fraud, reports the Los Angeles Times, and stands accused of duping voters into registering as Republicans.
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McCain Employing GOP Operative Accused of Voter Registration Fraud

October 20, 2008 - John McCain's hyperbolic claims about ''the fabric of democracy'' ring incredibly hollow when, at the same time, he pays dirty tricksters like Nathan Sproul $175,000 to ''register voters.''
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GOP Dirty Tricks in Florida

September 18, 2008 - A new presidential election cycle, same old, Republican dirty tricks. An editorial in the St. Petersburg Times calls the mailings 'some of the sleaziest campaign tactics.'
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Democrats Fighting Republican Hypocrisy on Voting Rights

September 29, 2006 - While Bush Republicans in Washington claim to support voting rights, House Republicans this week passed a voter identification bill that threatens to disenfranchise countless minority, student, elderly, people with disabilities and low income voters. The bill is effectively a poll tax that will keep thousands of lawfully registered voters from participating in our democracy.
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National Lawyers Council Related Links

September 11, 2006 - Democracy at Risk: The 2004 Election in Ohio http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/06/democracy_at_ri.php DNC Voting Rights Institute http://www.democrats.org/vri DC Democratic Lawyers Council http://www.dcdlc.org New York Democratic Lawyers Council http://www.nydlc.org Texas Democratic Lawyers Council http://www.txdlc.org National Democratic Law Student Council http://www.lawschooldems.org...
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DNC Marks the 41st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act

August 7, 2006 - DNC Marks the 41st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act Washington, DC—Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on the 41st anniversary of the historic Voting Rights Act:
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DNC Announces Expanded National Voter Protection Effort

August 3, 2006 - Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today announced the DNC's expanded national voter protection efforts. In addition to the establishment of a national voter protection hotline and the placement of election protection staff in 15 key states, the DNC is implementing a comprehensive series of efforts aimed at helping Americans register to vote, learn how and where to cast their ballot, and provide assistance in overcoming Republican-led efforts to suppress voter turnout for the November elections.
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In the Building: Election Protection Summit

June 20, 2006 - Today the DNC's Voting Rights Institute and National Lawyers Council are holding an Election Protection Summit. This day-long event has brought together voting rights activists, litigators, scholars, Democratic Party leaders and election administrators to dicuss comprehensive stategies to advance fair...
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Governor Dean on Voting Rights

May 17, 2006 - Governor Dean spoke to the NY Chapter of the National Democratic Lawyers Council last evening about the DNC's efforts to fight to protect the voting rights of all Americans: Voting ensures every American an opportunity to participate in our democracy....
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Democratic Law Students Get Their Act Together

March 22, 2006 - This past weekend, from March 17-19, 2006, Democratic law students from across the country convened at Harvard Law School to kickoff a new association of Democratic law students, the National Democratic Law Students Council (NDLSC). Headlined by the DNC Chairman, Gov. Howard Dean, the convention brought together 140 students from 33 schools with a common purpose: to forge a new organization devoted to promoting the work that law school Democrats and Democratic groups do on campus while connecting them with the voter protection and other efforts of Democratic lawyers.
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