U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wants a national discussion on how to improve the voting process for all Americans.
Holder, in a speech Tuesday night, said he is focused on fighting voter suppression laws enacted by state and local governments, and that changes are needed to ease registration requirements.
Calling the U.S. election system "antiquated," he said it's time to consider setting national standards for voting - including automatically registering eligible voters - to simplify the voting process.
"It is important for national leaders, academic experts, and members of the public to engage in a frank, thorough, and inclusive discussion about how our election systems can be made stronger and more accessible," Holder said in a speech at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. "Fortunately, modern technology provides ways to address many of the problems that impede the efficient administration of elections, and to bring our elections into the 21st century."
Holder defended a provision in the 1965 Voting Rights Act that requires 16 mostly Southern states - including Alabama - to get federal approval before changing their voting rules.
The provision, known as Section 5, is being challenged by opponents who argue that it has accomplished its purpose of ending discriminatory practices. The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider overturning the provision next year.
Holder, the nation's first black Attorney General, called the requirement "an indispensable tool for eradicating racial discrimination."
“In too many places, troubling divisions and disparities remain,” he said.
Holder said elections officials must continue to "expand the franchise" for voters, and rejected calls by leading Republicans for tighter controls as a means to reduce voter fraud.
Alabama passed a strict voter ID law in 2011 that is scheduled to go into effect in 2014. The law, which has been submitted to the Department of Justice for pre-clearance, requires a government-issued photo ID at the polls for a voter to cast a non-provisional ballot in-person.
“Attempts to restrict voting are inconsistent with our history,” Holder said. “The desire to achieve an electoral advantage must never trump our democratic values.”