"Colorblind" Policy in Black and White: Racial Consequences of Disenfranchisement Policy

In: Policy studies journal: the journal of the Policy Studies Organization, Volume 34, Issue 1, p. 81-93

Abstract

Disenfranchisement policies were formulated with discriminatory intent in several states (Behrens, Uggen, and Manza 2003;Mauer 2001;Preuhs 2001). Does such discrimination persist? Do disenfranchisement laws disparately impact black voters? I argue that disenfranchisement policies target black citizens and impact black voters disparately compared with white voters. I show that disenfranchisement laws have a disparate impact on the black community that becomes increasingly disproportionate as disenfranchisement laws increase in severity. I find that disenfranchisement policies have a significant independent effect on voting rights in the black community and do not have a similar effect on white voters. I conclude that the ability of the black community to achieve adequate representation is substantially diminished as fewer and fewer blacks qualify for voter registration.