Planned Parenthood Advocates for Voting Rights as SCOTUS Hears Ohio Voter Purge Case 

Supreme Court Heard Oral Arguments in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute This Week 

Washington, DC —  As the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that will decide whether Ohio can revoke the registration of eligible voters simply because they were unable or chose not to vote in the past six years, Planned Parenthood released the following statement:

“When it comes to elections, we should be removing barriers to voting, not creating them. There are many reasons why someone may decide not to or may not be able to exercise their right to vote, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for states to strip away that right altogether,” said Helene Krasnoff, senior director of public policy, litigation, and law at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “This case has enormous implications for the rights of millions of voters, and it’s imperative that they are able to retain these rights.”

Pushing Ohioans off the voter rolls is just one action in a larger effort to hinder turnout at the polls and disenfranchise low-income voters and voters of color. In May, instead of working to strengthen the Voting Rights Act and end the strategic suppression of people of color’s right to vote, President Trump created a commission to investigate his widely disproven and racially charged claims of voter fraud in an attempt to further suppress the vote and undermine the integrity of U.S. elections. Planned Parenthood condemned this attempt by the Trump administration to disenfranchise Americans. The deeply unpopular commission was recently disbanded. 

As a health care provider, Planned Parenthood is committed to fighting for justice for every person, and to empowering everyone to participate fully in their communities and the democratic process. Planned Parenthood continues to join voting rights advocates in condemning voter suppression and standing against the discriminatory tactics — like implementing voter ID laws and limiting early voting — that are systematically used to target communities of color and young people.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood affiliates serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives