States United Democracy Center Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Moore v. Harper
States United Served as Pro Bono Counsel to the State of North Carolina in Moore v. Harper
Published: 6.28.23
Washington, D.C. — The States United Democracy Center, which served as pro bono counsel to the State of North Carolina in Moore v. Harper, released the following statement following the Supreme Court ruling in the case. Moore v. Harper was fundamentally centered on state law and the will of the people expressed through their state constitutions. States United helped North Carolina represent its own institutional interests, and the interests of its voters, before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Joanna Lydgate, President and CEO at the States United Democracy Center:
“The Moore v. Harper decision is a major victory for voters, for fair elections, and for our democracy. The Court rejected a radical legal theory that would have given state legislatures nearly unchecked power over federal elections. Partisan legislatures shouldn’t — and don’t — have unlimited power to lock in the election results they want by drawing unfair congressional maps and rewriting election rules. Today those checks and balances were upheld.”
“This ruling comes at a critical moment, when a group of anti-democracy state legislators across the country are trying to interfere with and take power over our elections. The risk of election subversion keeps evolving, with attempts to undermine our elections coming on multiple fronts. We can’t sit back as bad-faith actors try to undermine our tradition of effective, nonpartisan election administration.”
“The States United Democracy Center is extremely proud to have served as pro bono counsel to the State of North Carolina in Moore v. Harper. At States United, we are dedicated to defending free, fair, and secure elections today and improving our democracy for the future. We will continue to support the state and local officials who run and defend our elections with the resources they need to make sure the will of the people is respected.”
Additional Resources:
- North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein’s statement on Moore v. Harper
- A Democracy Crisis in The Making (August 2022 – ISLT Overview)
- A Democracy Crisis in The Making: 2024 Election Threats Emerging (June 2023)
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About the States United Democracy Center
The States United Democracy Center is a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. We connect state officials, law enforcement leaders, and pro-democracy partners across America with the tools and expertise they need to safeguard our democracy. For more information, visit https://statesuniteddemocracy.org/.