The return of voter suppression in SJ?

Many people of color in D8 and D10 are worried that Labor/Left maneuvers designed to cancel elections in those districts to replace outgoing councilmembers are recalling the shameful history of voter suppression inflicted on their communities. A quick timeline of U.S. and California voter suppression techniques follows. 

Colonial era America: All slaves and women, most Jews and Catholics, and poor people are generally unable to vote. Electorate equals 10-20% of population.

1787: Constitution punts voting eligibility to the states. In Senate and Electoral College, prefers anti-democratic appointments over direct elections. 

1802: All new states (free or slave) deny voting rights to African-Americans.

1807: New Jersey actually reverses course and withdraws suffrage from African-Americans and women. Maryland also bans Jews from voting.

1849: California constitution limits suffrage to white men only. 

1870: 15th Amendment passes (guaranteeing suffrage regardless of race) but states find novel, bogus technqiues to continue voter discrimination (Jim Crow). California actually does not ratify the 15th Amendment.

1875: Southern states implement vast intimidation campaign against African American voters and candidates (lynchings, etc.); African-American voter registration drops from 90% to 6%. Throughout the rest of the 19th Century, states continue to pass laws and ordinances to systemically deny suffrage, including appointments instead of elections.

1879: California passes constitutional amendment  saying "No native of China" will ever be allowed to vote in California. 

1894: California imposes English literacy requirement for voting. 

1964: 24th Amendment passes, revokes poll taxes.

1965: Voting Rights Act passes, attempts to ban voter suppression tactics.

December 2022: San Jose's City Council considers, contrary to historical precedent, cancelling replacement elections in two districts which house over 70,000 voters of color, and appointing councilmembers by fiat themselves.

Read more at National Geographic and the LA Times.

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