NY Assembly Member Latrice Walker Advocates the Return of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York

Fern Gillespie
To ensure equal voting rights for Black and Hispanic voters in New York State, Brooklyn Assembly Member Latrice Walker, chair of the Assembly’s Election Law Committee, was the successful lead sponsor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York being signed into law in 2022. Then suddenly in 2024, the New York State Supreme Court struck it down.

Walker, believes this act is “suppressing or diluting the collective voices of Black and brown people.” Walker represents Brownsville, where she was born and raised. A graduate of SUNY’s Purchase College and the Pace University School of Law, her political career began as counsel to Rep. Yvette Clarke. As an Assembly Member, she advocates public safety, criminal justice, equity in education, affordable housing, food insecurity, mental health services and healthcare for her constituents. In Albany, she is a leading voice on criminal justice reform, environmental justice, affordable housing, and voting rights. Our Time Press spoke with Assembly Member Walker about the importance restoring the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York.

As a New York State Assembly Member, you were a lead sponsor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York. What motivated you to lobby for this law?
As chair of the New York State Assembly’s Election Law Committee, one of my core beliefs is that voting should be easy, efficient, and accessible. Part of ensuring ballot accessibility is to eradicate voter dilution, intimidation, and suppression.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVA) includes a preclearance component, which basically prevents discrimination before it happens. Under the NYVRA, local jurisdictions with a history of voter suppression or other types of discrimination must get approval from the Office of the New York Attorney General before making changes to rules or procedures related to voting.

Governor Hochul passed the law in 2022, then this year the New York State Supreme Court struck it down. What was your personal reaction when the law was struck down?
I was disappointed, but I wasn’t surprised. History has taught us that progress often takes decades, if not centuries to achieve. And we know that some of the hardest fought victories – legislative or otherwise – take a lifetime to protect.

It was a historic day for New York. Gov. Hochul signed the bill into law on June 20, 2022, at Medgar Evers College. It was a Monday, and we were celebrating Juneteenth. To my colleagues, the Governor, and all the hardworking advocates who helped deliver the strongest and most comprehensive set of voter protections of any state in America, I urge them to remain steadfast. I am confident that the judge’s decision will be reversed on appeal.

What is the NY State Senate and Assembly doing to restore the law?
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York was struck down in its entirety on Nov. 7 by New York State Supreme Court Judge Maria Vazquez-Doles in Orange County, ruling that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The plaintiffs – three Black and three Hispanic residents of Newburgh – filed an appeal on Nov. 11. The initial suit alleged that the at-large voting system discriminated against residents of color, resulting in all-white town boards.

New York State Attorney General Tish James has written a letter in support of the plaintiffs and in support of the law to the judge. The letter also seeks clarification on the judge’s ruling. So, that’s where things stand right now. It’s not in the hands of the Legislature; it’s in the hands of the Appellate Court.

Why do you think the national John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 to restore and strengthen parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 did not pass the U.S. Senate?
The simple answer is that there just weren’t enough votes in the Senate. The more nuanced answer is that there just wasn’t enough political will or courage for some members of Congress to act, particularly members of the Senate. Versions of the bill passed the House in 2021 and 2022 but failed to pass the Senate. The prospects are dim for the bill on a federal level, as Republicans – after the election earlier this month – will control both the House and the Senate.

Voting rights were a lifelong advocacy for Civil Rights hero John R. Lewis. What did you admire about him?
I admire the late Congressman and civil rights activist for his courage and for his principled stances on issues from voting rights to combatting segregation. He was the former head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), one of the leaders of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, and he led the first march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery, which was known as Bloody Sunday after he and other peaceful marchers were attacked by police and Alabama State Troopers.

What are some of the issues that you are currently working on for your constituents?
The key issues that I hope to focus on during the next legislative session are housing, criminal justice, education, the needs of our seniors, and creating greater opportunities for small businesses. Of course, I am also actively working on these issues in one form or another when the Legislature is not in session. I take the work very seriously and I also take very seriously the trust my constituents have placed in me.