Money, race, voting. It’s all connected. When fair access to voting is front and center in election policies, we see increased economic benefit, a reduction in the race income gap and better working conditions. But when access to voting is restricted, we see the opposite – political inequality increases, and wages and working conditions suffer.
How do we know? Well, just look at the data following two clear moments in our history that show the connection between the economy and voting rights.
1. Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA): In 1965 congress passed landmark legislation to prevent racial discrimination in states and/or counties with a history of discriminating at the polls. From 1950 to 1980, counties that were protected by the VRA saw:
- An increased public sector jobs for Black employees
- A decrease in the racial wage gap between white and Black employees by 5.5%
- Economic security and prosperity was redistributed across races
2. Shelby County v Holder: In 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States repealed a key section of the Voting Rights Act that allowed federal oversight of election laws to prevent discrimination. In the years following that decision, in counties previously covered by the VRA we see:
The cycle of poverty starts to break at the voting booth, and people with economic security are more likely to continue to vote. So to all the politicians who keep talking “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!” — tell them to “Save the Vote! Vote! Vote!”
To learn more, check out some great resources on the economy and voting rights:
