In a recent government meeting, a significant discussion centered on the historical evolution of voting rights in the United States, highlighting both progress and setbacks. The speaker emphasized the importance of understanding this history, noting that the U.S. Constitution initially allowed only about 6% of Americans the right to vote in 1789. It wasn't until 1828 that non-property-holding white males gained voting rights in most states.

The speaker pointed out that the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, aimed to prevent racial discrimination in voting. However, discriminatory practices emerged shortly after, particularly during the Reconstruction era, as former Confederate states enacted Jim Crow laws that disenfranchised African Americans and poor white voters through measures like poll taxes and literacy tests. The Supreme Court largely upheld these discriminatory laws until they were eventually deemed unconstitutional in the latter half of the 20th century.

The discussion also covered the extension of voting rights to women with the 19th Amendment in 1920, although many non-white women faced the same barriers as their male counterparts. Native Americans were granted citizenship and voting rights in 1924, but some states continued to restrict their voting until 1957.

Key legislative milestones were highlighted, including the prohibition of poll taxes in federal elections by the 24th Amendment in 1964 and the establishment of protections for voter registration and voting for racial and language minorities through the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The speaker noted that the Voting Rights Act has been extended multiple times, with the most recent extension occurring in 2006.

However, the conversation took a critical turn as the speaker addressed recent Supreme Court rulings that have restricted voting rights, particularly the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, which invalidated key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. The 2021 ruling in Bongenick v. Democratic National Committee further diminished the Act's protections, leaving only redistricting rules and bans on egregious discrimination intact.

The speaker concluded with a call to action, asserting that all New Mexicans deserve the right to vote and expressing concern over the ongoing erosion of voting rights across the country.