by Joshua A. Douglas
Beacon Press
8/5/2025, paperback
SKU: 9780807019573
An urgent and gripping look at the erosion of voting rights and its implications for democracy, told through the stories of 9 Supreme Court decisions--and the next looming case
In The Court v. The Voters, law professor Joshua Douglas takes us behind the scenes of significant cases in voting rights--some surprising and unknown, some familiar--to investigate the historic crossroads that have irrevocably changed our elections and the nation. In crisp and accessible prose, Douglas tells the story of each case, sheds light on the intractable election problems we face as a result, and highlights the unique role the highest court has played in producing a broken electoral system.
Douglas charts infamous cases like:
- Bush v. Gore, which opened the door to many election law claims
- Citizens United, which contributed to skewed representation--but perhaps not in the way you might think
- Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted the vital protections of the Voting Rights Act
- Crawford v. Marion County Elections Board, which allowed states to enforce voter ID laws and make it harder for people to vote
The Court v. The Voters powerfully reminds us of the tangible, real-world effects from the Court's voting rights decisions. While we can--and should--lament the democracy that might have been, Douglas argues that we can--and should--double down in our efforts to protect the right to vote.
Reviews:
"In this incisive, eloquent, and important book, Joshua Douglas has the receipts--and a warning about what the Court might do to us next." --Adam Cohen, author of Supreme Inequality
"A solid argument for judicial reform--and if not that, bypassing the Supreme Court whenever possible." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Citizens who want to understand the constitutional rules around voting often feel like people entering a play halfway through--the main players throw around case names and doctrines that are unfamiliar and confusing, and ordinary readers get the message that they are outsiders at their own elections. Joshua Douglas, who has devoted his career to understanding election law--and reforming it so that all Americans can vote--here untangles the plot of the play and explains in clear, nontechnical language how we got to the present mess and how We the People can get out of it." --Garrett Epps, author of American Epic: Reading the U.S. Constitution
About the Author:
Joshua A. Douglas is a law professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law and legal expert invested and engaged in helping everyday people understand our elections. His media commentaries have appeared in the New York Times, CNN, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, Reuters, Politico, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, and Slate, among others, and he has been quoted in major newspapers and on NPR stations throughout the country. He is the author of a previous book, Vote For US: How to Take Back Our Elections and Change the Future of Voting.