Voter Suppression in U.S. Elections

by Stacey Abrams, Carol Anderson, Kevin M. Kruse

Historians have long been engaged in telling the story of the struggle for the vote. In the wake of recent contested elections, the suppression of the vote has returned to the headlines, as awareness of the deep structural barriers to the ballot, particularly for poor, black, and Latino voters, has called attention to the historical roots of issues related to voting access.

Perhaps most notably, former state legislator Stacey Abrams's campaign for Georgia's gubernatorial race drew national attention after she narrowly lost to then-secretary of state Brian Kemp, who had removed hundreds of thousands of voters from the official rolls. After her loss, Abrams created Fair Fight, a multimillion-dollar initiative to combat voter suppression in twenty states.

At an annual conference of the Organization of American Historians, leading scholars Carol Anderson, Kevin M. Kruse, Heather Cox Richardson, and Heather Anne Thompson had a conversation with Abrams about the long history of voter suppression at the Library Company of Philadelphia. This book is a transcript of that extraordinary conversation, edited by Jim Downs.

Voter Suppression in U.S. Elections offers an enlightening, history-informed conversation about voter disenfranchisement in the United States. By gathering scholars and activists whose work has provided sharp analyses of this issue, we see how historians in general explore contentious topics and provide historical context for students and the broader public.

The book also includes a "top ten" selection of essays and articles by such writers as journalist Ari Berman, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Blight, and civil rights icon John Lewis.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Social Justice, Race, Political Science, Activism

176 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2020

About the author

Stacey Abrams is an American politician, lawyer, author, and businesswoman who was the house minority leader for the Georgia General Assembly and state representative for the 89th House District. She is a Democrat.

Abrams, one of six siblings, was born to Robert and Carolyn Abrams in Madison, Wisconsin and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi. The family moved to Atlanta where her parents pursued graduate school and later became Methodist ministers. She attended Avondale High School and was the school's first African-American valedictorian. While in high school, she was hired as a typist for a congressional campaign and was later hired as a speechwriter at age 17 based on the edits she made while typing.

In 1995, Abrams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Political Science, Economics and Sociology) from Spelman College, magna cum laude. While in college, Abrams worked in the youth services department in the office of Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson. She later interned at the Environmental Protection Agency. As a Harry S. Truman Scholar, she studied public policy at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs and went on to earn her J.D. from Yale Law School.

Abrams worked as a tax attorney at the Sutherland Asbill & Brennan law firm in Atlanta, with a focus on tax-exempt organizations, health care and public finance. She was appointed the Deputy City Attorney for Atlanta at age 29.

Abrams co-founded and served as the senior vice president of NOW Corp. (formerly NOWaccount Network Corporation), a financial services firm. She co-founded Nourish, Inc., a beverage company with a focus on infants and toddlers, and is CEO of Sage Works, a legal consulting firm, that has represented clients including the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA.

Abrams has had an extensive writing career, penning several best-selling novels under the nom de plume of Selina Montgomery. Abrams is also the author of 'Minority Leader', a book of leadership advice to be published by Henry Holt & Co. in April 2018.

Reviews

[Garrett]

Voter suppression makes my blood boil. This was a great conversation with a bunch of informative articles to reference.

[Andrea Brinkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick read...a compilation of writings on current issues surrounding voter suppression. I learned about policies like “use it or lose it”, targeted poll closures, third party registration penalties, and exact match requirements, along with other discriminatory practices clearly designed to reduce voting in marginalized communities. Stacy Abrams was a significant contributor to this book, and her work is remarkable. Particularly, her statement to the House Judiciary Committee and her work opposing Shelby County vs. Holder...which has reopened all kinds of doors for states to ensure voting goes the way they want it to. The concept of voter fraud, never demonstrated to the magnitude it’s been touted, compared to the literal, evidential practices of suppression, is despicable.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so appreciate the History in the Headlines series. Readers get to be a fly on the wall as historians discuss the significance of current events and demonstrate how history may not repeat itself exactly, but it rhymes.

[Philip J Cardella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voter Suppression in U.S. Elections is a great combination of two, contradictory things. On the one hand, it's great minds coming together to talk about the biggest threat to our democracy, both in an actual transcribed conversation and then in ten essential columns from the last ten years on the topic. On the other hand the topic makes you want to throw the whole planet back into the sun from which it came.

This book is brief, concise, engaging, and thought provoking. It should be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the most obvious challenges that prevent our democracy from being what it can be.

It will give you hope, tempered in rage. But it will give you hope. We can end voter suppression, but we need to see it for the cancer that it is first.

[David Gilani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst this is an important topic - the format of this book was a bit disappointing. It's mainly the transcript of a panel discussion including Stacey and then a number of news articles on the subject. It's lacks the overall structure and depth that I was hoping for.

That said, the timeliness of this book did make it pretty special. To hear Stacey talk about the ways she mobilised Georgia and yet saw so many acts of voter suppression in 2018... just a few weeks after that same mobilisation effort helped the Democrats to win back the United States senate! Very cool.

"I can't built it just so I can win an election. I have to build an infrastructure that allows the next person, because I may not win" - how right Stacey was.

Overall, I feel like this book lacks the depth that others on the subject of US voter suppression have covered - however, it does include a lot of great facts and examples of recent voter suppression, so does provide a welcomed update to how this is continuing to grow in the US.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book.

Stacey Abrams, Heather Richardson, Carol Anderson, and Kevin Kruse got together one night for a conversation about voter suppression in the United States. What emerged from these conversations was this book, a lightly edited transcript of the conversation, followed by a series of essays and other works giving the conversation more depth.

It's an easy dive into this topic, and one ripe with meaning today, as Republican state legislatures, knowing they can't win unless they suppress the vote try to pass ever more restrictive laws. It's a call for democracy and civic engagement, for government of the people, by the people.

[Ian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Voter Suppression in U.S. Elections fails both as a scholarly work and a persuasive argument. Instead of offering a rigorous analysis of a vital issue, it drowns in hyperbole and partisan finger-pointing, alienating anyone seeking a thoughtful, balanced perspective. The book's reliance on cherry-picked anecdotes and shallow rhetoric exposes its lack of depth and intellectual rigor. Rather than informing or persuading, it preaches to the choir, leaving readers frustrated by its inability to rise above ideological posturing. A squandered opportunity to address a crucial topic with seriousness and credibility.

[Maggie Panning · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book discusses a super important and infuriating topic and there's a lot of good information in here, but I did not enjoy the format at all. I love listening to a good round table discussion, but reading one isn't as fun. It feels clunky. I would have much preferred to read a book of just essays and articles on the topic (like you find in the back of this book).

[Sabra Kurth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The compilation of articles documenting the many ways voters are denied the right the vote and, the transcript of a roundtable discussion discussing current and historical voter suppression efforts. Very thoughtful essays and discussion.

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for the present.

[Emanuel B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great jumping off point for understanding how voter suppression has worked historically and contemporaneously.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

highly recommend

[Cassandra Passinault Caputo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read, and I learned about so many different and horrible successful voter suppression efforts.

[Maria Jansson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading

[Sharon L. Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read paperback copy

[Donna Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. A conversation so easy to read and so informative. There are so many ways the one person, one vote can be manipulated.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a load of garbage. Written by a cry-baby who lost fair and square.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a law essay for class. It was extremely insightfully and a get compilation of essays.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading so I can teach it. Woot.