Synopses & Reviews
An answer to the assault on voting rights — crucial reading in advance of the 2020 presidential election
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered one of the most effective pieces of legislation the United States has ever passed. It enfranchised hundreds of thousands of voters, particularly in the American South, and drew attention to the problem of voter suppression. Yet in recent years there has been a continuous assault on access to the ballot box in the form of stricter voter ID requirements, meritless claims of rigged elections, and baseless accusations of voter fraud. In the past these efforts were aimed at eliminating African American voters from the rolls, and today, new laws seek to eliminate voters of color, the poor, and the elderly, groups that historically vote for the Democratic Party.
Uncounted examines the phenomenon of disenfranchisement through the lens of history, race, law, and the democratic process. Gilda R. Daniels, who served as Deputy Chief in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and more than two decades of voting rights experience, argues that voter suppression works in cycles, constantly adapting and finding new ways to hinder access for an exponentially growing minority population. She warns that a premeditated strategy of restrictive laws and deceptive practices has taken root and is eroding the very basis of American democracy — the right to vote.
Review
"Foundational for anyone committed to fighting voter suppression in the current era. Daniels offers a rigorous historical narrative rooted in lived experiences that leaves readers with an understanding of the centrality of the right to vote, and the severity of the threats to that right, in democracy today. A must read for anyone seeking to understand the status of American democracy today." Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law
Review
"Brilliantly captures the pervasiveness of efforts to suppress the vote of minority populations in the US. Constantly metamorphosing to evade legal restraints and capitalize on new tactics, attacks on the franchise threaten the very foundation of our democracy. Uncounted is a must read for all who care about defending and strengthening our democratic system." Caroline Fredrickson, author of The Democracy Fix: How to Win the Fight for Fair Rules, Fair Courts, and Fair Elections
Review
"This book offers readers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with past and present efforts to interfere with elections and the voting process. Gilda Daniels has provided a cogent, well-written roadmap through those efforts to restrict voting rights in the United States." New York Journal of Books
About the Author
Gilda R. Daniels is an Associate Professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law.