The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark victory for democracy, tearing down the barriers that kept Black and Brown Americans from the ballot box—most visibly in the South, but also in quieter ways across the nation. It was bold because it did more than expose racism in state laws; it placed voter protections under federal authority, ensuring fairness where states had failed.
That safeguard lasted until 2013, when the Supreme Court gutted the Act and handed control back to states with long histories of suppression. Since then, we’ve witnessed a surge of efforts to restrict access to the vote—tactics that silence minority, working-class, and first-time voters alike.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
Nov. 2025 - June 2026
As federal protections crumble, the responsibility to defend democracy has fallen to the states. In 2019, TWP secured reproductive rights in Rhode Island law before Roe v. Wade was overturned, and now we are doing the same for voting rights.
The Womxn Project and our coalition partners have been building voter momentum and applying pressure on legislators since November 2025, even before any bills were announced.
Momentum is growing across the country as an increasing number of states have enacted State VRAs. Our democracy works best when every voter can participate in it. By making our democracy more accessible and responsive, the Rhode Island VRA is a massive step toward our vision of a government that is truly of, by, and for the people.
INTRODUCTION OF BILL
Mar. 2026
After much anticipation, the RI version of the bill, called the Rhode Island Voting Rights Act (RIVRA), was assigned Senate bill S 4313 and House bill H 8334 in Senate Judiciary and House Elections Committees. Then the RIVRA Campaign in collaboration with the Campaign Legal Center proposed 10 amendments which would strengthen the bill.
The Rhode Island Voting Rights Act will build on the federal protections of the VRA by putting into state law:
In September 2025, the DOJ demanded RI voter files containing personal details like driver’s license numbers and Social Security digits, but the RI Secretary of State refused to turn over nonpublic data without a court order.
The DOJ later sued Secretary Amore, who stated, "This lawsuit, like those filed in other states, is a continuation of the current presidential administration's unconstitutional attempts to interfere with elections processes across the country. "
TWP is grateful to have led a conversation with Secretary Amore at the end of 2025, which you can watch below. Since then, in March of 2026, a Federal Judge in Rhode Island struck down this case.