New voting restrictions across the country are threatening to make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in elections. In some states, these barriers have thrown long-registered voters into limbo, as Arizona voter James Wilson learned when he nearly lost his ability to vote because of strict new proof-of-citizenship rules.

In this season finale, Democracy Decoded examines how these barriers to voting — along with an administration actively attempting to curtail the freedom to vote and a Supreme Court with voting rights cases on its docket — are reshaping access to the ballot.

Host Simone Leeper speaks with election law scholar Rick Hasen and Campaign Legal Center’s voting rights expert Danielle Lang to unpack the rise of new barriers to voting, the future of the Voting Rights Act, the dangers of executive overreach, and the policy solutions and reforms needed to secure the freedom to vote in 2026 and beyond.

Timestamps:

(00:00) — How did one Arizona voter nearly lose his right to vote?

(04:35) — Why are federal actions now threatening elections?

(06:50) — How do proof-of-citizenship laws disenfranchise voters?

(11:48) — What happened inside Arizona’s dual-track voting system?

(15:32) — Who is most affected by modern voting restrictions?

(21:36) — What role has the federal government historically played in protecting voting rights?

(23:49) — Why is the SAVE Act so bad for voting rights?

(25:16) — What is Campaign Legal Center doing to protect the freedom to vote in Louisiana?

(28:38) — What is Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act?

(30:06) — What is the Turtle Mountain v. Howe case?

(34:05) — What reforms are needed to protect elections in 2026 and beyond?

Host and Guests:

Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.

James Wilson is a resident of Pinal County, Arizona. He’s passionate about voting and has done voter registration work for many years. He first registered to vote in Arizona in 1982 and has proudly voted in many elections since then.

Danielle Lang leads Campaign Legal Center's voting rights team dedicated to safeguarding the freedom to vote. She litigates in state and federal courts from trial to the Supreme Court, and advocates for equitable and meaningful voter access at all levels of government. Danielle has worked as a civil rights litigator her entire career. At CLC, she has led litigation against Texas's racially discriminatory voter ID law, Florida's modern-day poll tax for rights restoration, Arizona's burdensome registration requirements, North Dakota's voter ID law targeting Native communities and numerous successful challenges to signature match policies for absentee ballots. Previously, Danielle served as a Skadden Fellow in the Employment Rights Project of Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles, where she represented low-wage immigrant workers in wage and hour, discrimination and human trafficking matters. From 2012 to 2013, Danielle clerked for Judge Richard A. Paez on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Professor Richard L. Hasen is the Gary T. Schwartz Endowed Chair in Law, Professor of Political Science (by courtesy) and Director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law. He is an internationally recognized expert in election law, writing as well in the areas of legislation and statutory interpretation, remedies and torts. He is co-author of leading casebooks in election law and remedies. Hasen served in 2022 and 2024 as an NBC News/MSNBC Election Law Analyst. He was a CNN Election Law Analyst in 2020.

Links:

Voting Is an American Freedom. The President Can’t Change That – CLC

Victory! Anti-Voter Executive Order Halted in Court – CLC

How CLC Is Pushing Back on the Trump Administration’s Anti-Voter Actions – CLC

Efforts to Undermine the Freedom to Vote, Explained – CLC

Why America Needs the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act – CLC

Protecting the Freedom to Vote Through State Voting Rights Acts – CLC

What Does the U.S. Supreme Court’s Recent Arizona Decision Mean for Voters? – CLC

What You Need to Know About the SAVE Act – CLC

In-Person Voting Access – CLC

Modernizing Voter Registration – CLC

A Raging Battle for Democracy One Year from the Midterms – Trevor Potter’s newsletter

Four Threats to Future Elections We Need to Discuss Now – Trevor Potter’s newsletter

About CLC:

Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us.

Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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