voting has also become a polarizing topic not just nationally but here in New Jersey with allegations over limited access to polling sites for people with disabilities and language barriers just to name a few and today Advocates rallied in Trenton pushing for legislation that will protect voting rights in the state as fears Mount that the U.S Supreme Court could soon rule on a case that would affect the landmark Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Raven Santana is standing by in Trenton with the latest Raven Bree I'm here at the state house where earlier today about 50 people including legislators and Advocates gathered to launch a campaign of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey which ensures Equitable access to voting especially for communities of color today also marks the Civil Rights icon's birthday which they used to push legislation that they say is critical to preventing discriminatory voting practices we have been relying on correctly relying on the federal Voting Rights Act from 1965. it's a complete it's so Monumental it was so Monumental and it's foundational to our voting rights the Supreme Court um overturned the heart of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby v um holder and in that bill they they took away pre-clearance we need to codify that in New Jersey so when you have jurisdictions that are showing problems that have a consistent issue uh with election after election oh election after election where boaters of colors are facing it you should have a higher authority be able to investigate them be able to make sure that these voters aren't facing these things in the future and we need the state to be able to do that here in New Jersey so that's what this bill will do when you think of discrimination and racism and biggest bigotry you typically think of places like Alabama and Mississippi in Florida New Jersey isn't at the top of that list but when you actually look at the people who are voting there's a great disparity between people who are registered and those voters who are actually able to cast our ballot what are some of the challenges that some of these voters face and what and how can this bill remedy that absolutely so across the state um what we see patterns time and time again and that voters of color face in their different communities when they do go to their polling locations oftentimes those are those communities are the ones that have polling locations that open late or have very long lines that they have to wait in there are physical barriers that impede the access to voting locations and machines that would help those who are say voting blind or visually impaired actually be able to look at their ballots and vote too many of the people who voted their ballots were rejected and they were very very angry about that fact that they were able to vote but even though they voted they got the letter saying the vote wasn't counted and they said what is the point of voting so we still have you know a lot of work to do not just across this country but in New Jersey too I think we have to do a better job of training our poll workers as well as our voters do foresee this being passed by next year I do and I think also you know I think about you know we're in black history month we always uplift Our Heroes you know our Martin Luther Kings our Shirley chisholms um uh John Lewis today you know not just use our names but yes stand for what they are all about and that's protecting our democracy and making sure that everybody has access to the polls the bill is currently pending in the legislature and Advocates say they are working with legislators to strengthen it as you just heard legislators I spoke with did say they are optimistic the bill will pass in the meantime Advocates say they will continue to hold rallies and events like the one today in order to both educate and advocate for voters For NJ Spotlight News I'm Raven Santana [Music]