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Release: Tuesday, December 8, 2015
DPG Chair Statement on Upcoming Oral Argument in Evenwel v. Abbott
Atlanta, GA – Today, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Evenwel v. Abbot, a Texas redistricting case that would deny representation to anyone who is not a voter, including every child and minor under 18, by changing how state legislative districts are drawn. Evenwel would also leave minority communities underrepresented, in large part because they tend to be younger. If Evenwel wins, legal permanent residents who have spent years in their communities—and are able to contribute to political candidates—would be left uncounted and denied representation.
In Georgia, an estimated 2,490,299 young people under 18 could be disenfranchised if Sue Evenwel has her way—including 49% who are young women; 833,690 of African Americans; and 314,438 of Hispanics.
Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement today on how this case could lead to a loss of political representation for millions of young people and minority communities across the country.
“Every single person living in America deserves equal representation and deserves to be counted in our democracy, and that’s why the Constitution requires it in congressional districts. Sue Evenwel’s egregious attempt to deny millions of people representation in state legislative districts is an attack on our democracy and threatens the ability of elected officials to adequately represent and serve their communities. Our children and everyone living in our communities deserve a voice even if they are not able to cast a ballot.
“Republicans around the nation are gunning for more restrictions on voters—because when large groups of targeted populations are disenfranchised, they have a better chance of winning. This ‘change the rules of the game to ensure a win’ effort is demonstrated through restrictive voter ID laws, curtailing early voting, and other egregious attempts to limit access to the necessary documents needed to register to vote.
“If we are serious about the integrity of our democracy, we cannot allow anyone to be disenfranchised. This case threatens to exclude far too many including every person under the age of 18, and far too many hardworking taxpayers across Georgia and the rest of the country.
“We must remain as vigilant as ever in the face of such egregious attacks on our democracy. We’ve come too far to silently sit back and let those with an extreme agenda erase our progress. Anything less would dishonor the legacy of our civil rights activists and heroes who gave their all—in some cases their lives—to ensure that every American has a voice.”
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