For Immediate Release: April 28, 2026
Contact: Heather Cabral, 202-550-6880, hcabral@faithinaction.org 

Call today’s ruling a moral crisis disguised as a legal decision

Washington  – Today the Supreme Court quietly narrowed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, undermining the landmark Civil Rights Act. Section 2 of the Act outlawed discrimination in voting on the basis of race — today the Court gutted this provision striking a major blow to voters but especially Black and brown voters across the country. Leaders with Faith in Action shared the following statements. 

Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director, Faith in Action, stated, “This ruling is a moral crisis disguised as a legal decision. By weakening the Voting Rights Act, the Court has turned its back on the very protections that made our democracy more just, more representative, and more true to its promise.

This decision makes it easier to silence voices, to dilute power, and to redraw the lines of representation in ways that shut people out. It is a deliberate step away from equity and a dangerous signal about whose participation is valued in this country.

Our faith does not permit despair or silence. It calls us to act. To stand in the gap. To protect the sacred right to vote and to ensure that every one of God’s children is seen, heard, and represented.

We have faced moments like this before. And each time, people of faith have risen with courage, clarity, and collective power. We will do so again. Because a democracy that denies the full participation of all God’s children is not a democracy at all, it is an injustice we are called to transform.”

Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, political director, Faith in Action, added, “This ruling is not merely a legal ruling but also a moral failing, significantly weakening the Voting Rights Act and potentially facilitating the ongoing disenfranchisement of Black constituents. As a descendant of those who survived literacy tests, poll taxes, Jim and Jane Crow laws, and the bloodshed that secured our right to vote, this is painfully familiar. Every instance in which our community organizes and establishes power is subsequently met with regulatory revisions designed to diminish power and discourage civic participation.  Our faith across traditions won’t allow us to accept exclusion as the ultimate reality. A democracy that prohibits full participation is not merely deficient; it is fundamentally unjust.

This moment requires people of faith and or moral courage to move from silence and even complicitness and to stand in solidarity across race, class, geography, and tradition, and to organize like our lives depend on it, because they do. It is evident we cannot leave this fleeting notion of democracy in the hands of any branch of the government. We must understand the urgency of this moment and act boldly together not just to defend what we thought we had but construct what is just and necessary for all of the Creator’s children to be heard and thrive.”

Rev. Nicole M. Barnes, executive director, Faith in Action Fund, said, “A right is a set of protections designed to uphold what is morally good, just, and equitable. The decisions made this morning regarding the Voting Rights Act, in the Louisiana case, do not meet that standard. They undermine efforts to ensure fair and equitable access to the ballot and raise urgent concerns about the direction of voting rights in our nation.

This moment reflects a broader pattern of actions that risk diminishing the voices of our communities through barriers to participation. At a time when many are already facing significant challenges, further restricting access to the democratic process is both unjust and harmful.

In spite of that, we will not allow these things to deter us from exercising our power at the polls. We will support voter education and advocate for policies that protect and expand access to the ballot, ensuring that every voice is heard and every community is represented.”

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