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Advocates urge passage of Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act in committee hearing
Summary
Sen. Pinkney introduced HB444 to create state standards protecting voting rights; advocates from the YWCA, League of Women Voters, ACLU, NAACP partners and the Legal Defense Fund testified, citing federal court rollbacks and urging Delaware to adopt state remedies including language access and tailored court relief.
Senator Darius Pinkney told the Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committee that House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, would establish a state framework to protect voting rights, allow challenges to policies that deny or dilute opportunities for protected groups, expand language access, and authorize courts to order tailored remedies such as additional polling locations or voting hours.
Pinkney described a “democracy canon” directing that Delaware election laws be interpreted to favor ballot access. He said the bill creates notice and review procedures that, in many cases, must be exhausted before litigation proceeds.
Witnesses representing civil-rights and civic groups delivered repeated endorsements. Becca Cotto of YWCA Delaware said the measure “is a meaningful step toward addressing those inequities,” and Reverend Rita Mishu Page, pastor of New Beginnings Community AME Church, framed the bill as a moral imperative: “If you believe in fairness, if you believe in justice… then protect the Voting Rights Act of ’19, 1965 and pass HB444,” she said. Michael Pernick of the Legal Defense Fund highlighted recent federal decisions he said have weakened Section 2 protections and called passage in Delaware “national significance.”
Committee members voiced support: Senator Hoffner thanked the sponsor for leadership and Senator Richardson asked to be added as a cosponsor. No committee vote took place at the hearing; the bill drew extensive testimony and public comment that the sponsor said would inform next steps.
