Before 2013, jurisdictions covered by the Voting Rights Act's preclearance rule had to get federal approval before moving or closing a polling place. Shelby County v. Holder ended that review. In 2019, the Leadership Conference Education Fund reported that formerly covered jurisdictions had closed 1,688 polling places between 2012 and 2018. Texas, Georgia and Arizona had among the highest closure rates.
Officials often cite budgets, low turnout or accessibility problems. But closures are rarely spread evenly. Voters without cars, voters with disabilities and hourly workers who cannot leave a job for hours bear the cost. Long lines in majority-Black precincts in Georgia drew national attention during the June 2020 primary.
Closures matter because they work quietly. A voter does not need to be turned away to be kept from voting. A longer drive, a moved location or a three-hour wait can do the same thing, and the burden lands most on communities that already face barriers.