By: Alyssa Wilson

During the 2020 presidential election, Black Americans rose to the occasion to help prevent another Trump victory with Black voters helping to flip key battleground states like Georgia. 

States that Biden flipped in his favor had populations that were less white than the nation as a whole. 

Now, Republican lawmakers are pushing for new voter suppression legislation.  

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case Tuesday to decide how new rules should be judged under federal civil rights law, according to ABC News. 

Since February 19, state lawmakers have introduced 253 bills with provisions that restrict voting access in 43 states. 

Arizona leads the nation in proposed voter suppression legislation, followed by Pennsylvania, Georgia and New Hampshire. 

In late February, Georgia passed an election reform package. 

Duncan Lauds Passage of bi-partisan Election Reform Package #gapol pic.twitter.com/B6Xox3dPLy

— Geoff Duncan (@GeoffDuncanGA) February 23, 2021

The Brennan Center for Justice reports that some of the legislation includes: 

Restrictions on Mail Voting 

• Limiting who can vote by mail
• Making it harder to obtain ballots 
• Restrictions on assistance to voters
• Witness signatures 
• Limitations on absentee ballot return options 
• Signature matching requirements 
• Ballot receipt
• Postmark deadlines 

Stricter Voter ID Requirements 

• Eliminating some forms of ID
• Requiring a photocopy of ID in absentee ballot applications

Stoping Voter Registration Opportunities 

• Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote
• Removing election day registration
• Eliminating automatic voter registration 

Aggressive Voter Purging 

• Removing voters who fail to respond to notice
• Removing voters based on data from other states 

BNC hosts Sharon Reed and Mike Hill weighed in on their morning show Start Your Day.

“When they can’t suppress your vote, that’s when they call it fraud,” Hill said citing former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen. “Every time we make strides in the community when it comes to any type of rights, especially when it comes to voting, it appears they change the rules.”

Both hosts agreed that Black Americans should stop thinking their vote doesn’t count.

“If it didn’t count, they wouldn’t try and suppress it so much,” Hill said.

As they reflected on the sacrifices of activists from the past, Reed said “You do an extreme disservice,” by not exercising your right to vote. “To just sit at home when so many people spilled their blood for the right to vote, it just doesn’t seem right.”

While many are concerned about how this proposed legislation could impact future elections, other lawmakers are stepping in to help. 

There are 704 bills with provisions that expand voting access across 43 states. 

Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock introduced a resolution honoring the late Congressman John Lewis’ life work for the advancement of voting rights and he is now calling for a new Voting Rights Act. 

Tonight the U.S. Senate passed my resolution honoring Congressman Lewis for his life’s work.

Meanwhile Georgia’s legislature is considering shameless and abhorrent voter suppression bills.

The struggle continues.

We must pass a new Voting Rights Act.pic.twitter.com/gdLZ13STnA

— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) March 2, 2021