The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) alongside the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP filed a lawsuit against Dodge City over its at-large election system for the city commission. The case argued that the at-large system violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and […]
The UCLA Voting Rights Project, in partnership with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, the ACLU of New Mexico, DLA Piper and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice filed a complaint against San Juan County, New Mexico and their Board of Commissioners over their newly adopted legislative map that effectively dilutes the […]
Published November 19, 2025 On October 6, 2025, the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP), directed by Dr. Matt A. Barreto and Chad W. Dunn, JD, in the Luskin School of Public Affairs, successfully argued in favor of Hispanic and Black voters in League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) et al. v. Abbott, VPR’s legal director, Dunn, and senior staff […]
The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP), successfully represented three individual Latino voters and the League of United Latino America Citizens (LULAC) in challenging Franklin County’s use of the at-large method of election for County Commissioner seats under the Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA). The UCLA VRP sent a notice letter under the WVRA in October […]
Published July 18, 2022 On July 18, 2022, UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) filed an amicus brief on behalf of UCLA Social Scientists with the U.S. Supreme Court in the voting rights case Merrill et. al., v. Milligan et. al. The VRP argued for the Court to keep the Voting Rights Act’s longstanding protections of […]
A federal judge found that Galveston County’s 2021 redistricting plan diluted the voting strength of Black and Latino voters, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The UCLA Voting Rights Project (UCLA VRP), along with co-counsels Neil G. Baron and the Campaign Legal Center, representing three Galveston residents, the Honorable Terry Petteway, Honorable Penny Pope and […]
Authors: Michael Herndon, Kassra A. R. Oskooii, and Michael Rios Introduction While voting eligibility has evolved throughout American history, a consistent pattern remains: White voters have often received preferential treatment from lawmakers and election administrators. During the Jim Crow era, for example, White voters were shielded from voting restrictions through mechanisms like White primaries and […]
By the UCLA Voting Rights Project in partnership with the California Secretary of State Office In response to the mid-cycle redistricting proposed in Texas in June 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom recommended that California redraw its congressional district maps to favor Democrats. As a result, California Proposition 50, officially known as the Election Rigging Response […]
Author: Michael Alan Herndon Problem: The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new reliance on non-traditional voting methods, as over one third of voters utilized vote-by-mail (VBM) in the 2024 general election. While this sweeping transition has increased convenience for many voters, it has opened a door for another form of voter suppression: ballot rejection […]
By the UCLA Voting Rights Project in partnership with the California Secretary of State Office The 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election statewide began in August 2021 and concluded on September 14, 2021. The result⎯California voters chose not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of voter registration and turnout in the […]
