#ProtectTheVote mobilizes against voter suppression tactics including strict ID laws, polling place closures, voter roll purges, and mail-in ballot restrictions.
Shelby County v. Holder (2013): SCOTUS gutted Voting Rights Act preclearance, enabling states to change election laws without federal oversight.
2018 Georgia governor race: Stacey Abrams vs. Brian Kemp (then Secretary of State overseeing election). Kemp purged 1.4 million voters, closed polling sites in Black neighborhoods. Abrams lost narrowly, refused to concede, founded Fair Fight Action.
2020 election: Trump’s “voter fraud” claims (debunked) led to:
- Republican state legislatures passing 30+ restrictive voting laws
- #ProtectTheVote countering with mail-in ballot education, poll watching, litigation
January 6, 2021: Capitol riot attempted to overturn election results, giving new urgency to hashtag.
2021-2022: Georgia, Texas, Florida, Arizona passed laws limiting drop boxes, mail-in voting, early voting hours. Activists used #ProtectTheVote to organize voter registration, rides to polls, legal challenges.
For the People Act / John Lewis Voting Rights Act: Federal bills to expand voting access stalled in Senate (2021-2022) despite Democratic control.
The hashtag remains active around every election, especially in battleground states with new restrictions.
Sources:
- Brennan Center for Justice: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup
- Fair Fight Action: https://fairfight.com/
- ACLU voter suppression tracker: https://www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights/fighting-voter-suppression