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California Elections Chief Comments on
Voting Rights Ruling by U.S. Supreme Court

SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Debra Bowen today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's federal Voting Rights Act decision.

"Today's decision eliminates a critical level of protection for voters in states where governors and legislatures work year after year to undermine the voting rights of U.S. citizens. Fortunately, California has a robust set of election laws designed to protect the rights of voters in all 58 counties, including California's three pre-clearance counties. However, voters in other parts of the country are not nearly as fortunate as Californians. That is why Congress must work as quickly as possible to restore the full federal Voting Rights Act protections that many voters have relied on for nearly 50 years."

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