Voting Rights Fellow

Voting Rights Fellow

Sara Carter

Harvard Law, J.D. 2021

Voting Rights Fellow

Brennan Center for Justice

"Thanks to the generous support of Equal Justice America, I will be able to pursue my dream of working toward a democracy where every voice is heard. EJA’s critical funding will sustain and strengthen efforts to protect the voting rights of communities most excluded from participation in our democracy—at a time when such efforts are decidedly urgent. I am truly excited to be an EJA Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice."

EJA Awards two-year $130,000 Voting Rights Fellowship to Sara Carter at the Brennan Center for Justice

March 08, 2022
Sara Carter began her EJA Fellowship in September 2022.

My passion for advancing democracy arose from grassroots organizing in college. On the ground assisting voters, I witnessed restrictive voting policies deny access to nonwhite citizens and those with language barriers. From that point forward, I dedicated my time to eliminating these discriminatory laws. As a legal intern at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, I helped challenge Georgia’s voter suppression law, S.B. 202, and drafted portions of the New York Voting Rights Act. At the ACLU Voting Rights Project, I helped write the complaint in Trump v. New York, a challenge to an Executive policy excluding undocumented immigrants from apportionment, and contributed to the merits brief in Jones v. DeSantis, a challenge to Florida’s felony disenfranchisement system.

My time spent advocating for voting rights has made clear to me one basic truth: protecting democracy is essential to advancing racial justice. For communities of color, the right to vote means more than the ability to select leaders; it means the ability to secure and preserve all other rights. And now it is under attack: elected officials are spreading the dangerous lie that the 2020 Election was fraudulent; state legislatures are suppressing votes through restrictive laws and diluting votes through drastic gerrymanders; and the courts have facilitated democratic decline by greenlighting partisan gerrymandering and dismantling the Voting Rights Act.

I am deeply grateful to EJA for the opportunity to join the fight for voting rights during this crucial moment for our democracy. As an EJA Fellow, I will contribute to the Brennan Center’s efforts to ensure every American the right to cast a meaningful vote. There is no better place to do this critical work.

The Brennan Center for Justice Welcomes Sara Carter!

"The Brennan Center for Justice is proud to welcome its first Equal Justice America Fellow at this critical moment for our democracy. We are delighted to be launching this new partnership."
John F. Kowal
Vice President, Programs
"The Brennan Center’s Democracy Program works to ensure that all Americans have an equal voice in our elections and that our government advances the public interest and upholds the rule of law. We are thrilled to have EJA’s support to help us advance this mission over the coming years."
Wendy R. Weiser
Vice President, Democracy
"We are grateful to EJA for this opportunity to expand our dynamic team of legal and policy experts fighting for free and fair elections. This Fellowship will be a tremendous help in our ongoing efforts to protect voting rights."
Sean Morales-Doyle
Acting Director, Voting Rights & Elections