As the U.S. marked the 60^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Taft public affairs attorney and former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Terrance Carroll and communications professional Alton Dillard analyzed the history, the impact, and the present day implications of the landmark federal statute with Colorado Public Radio’s (CPR) “Colorado Matters” talk show.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon Johnson, prohibits racial discrimination in voting. CPR highlighted the milestone while calling to attention the current state of equal access to ballots and a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could change the course of American democracy.

Carroll told CPR, “What made the Voting Rights Act transformative is one, it was the culmination of a series of voting and civil rights bills that have been enacted in the United States since the end of the Civil War going all the way back to 1867 or so. But it was probably the most definitive and the one with the most teeth of all the voting rights and civil rights bills that came about after Reconstruction. It still remains important today because there are parts of this country where folks who are on the margins … still do not have access fully to the ballot box to elect a candidate of their choice.”

Listen to the full interview HERE.

Carroll leads the Colorado Public Affairs Strategies group, representing clients in government and political law matters, including corporate political activity. He advises businesses, advocacy groups, charities, associations and political organizations on a full range of legal issues related to influencing government, public policy and elections. Carroll also provides legal guidance to clients facing urgent, high-stakes and politically sensitive situations that pose significant reputational and operational risks. He served as the 54th speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and was the first African American to hold the position.