It's partly because of these two righteous dudes that the Michigan GOP was forced to settle their suit in court regarding the use of foreclosures to wipe voters from the registration lists.
Check out Emptywheel for more.
"An agreement announced today by Obama for America, the Republican National Committee, the Democratic National Committee, the Michigan Republican Party, the Michigan Democratic Party, the Macomb County Republican Party, the Macomb County Democratic Party, and plaintiffs Duane Maletski, Sharon Lopez, and Frances M. Zick protects the voting rights of foreclosure victims. The settlement acknowledges the existence of an illegal scheme by the Republicans to use mortgage foreclosure lists to deny foreclosure victims their right to vote. This settlement has the force of law behind it and ensures that Republicans cannot disenfranchise families facing foreclosure."
While this is something to celebrate, these same Jim Crow-esque tactics are still in play in 6 states. We could still lose this one if we blink. Seriously, don't blink!
To comment further on the reality of our situation, I would just like to state that it saddens me that this is what elections in the US have come to; we the people scrambling against the clock to sue our way to democracy while registering and re-registering disenfranchised voters. This is NOT how our elections are supposed to work.
The only solution that will work in the long term is either a federal law or, preferably, a constitutional amendment stating that all citizens have the right to same day voter registration, just like I did when I lived in Minnesota.
I'm sure you've seen it, but if you haven't, check out Steal Back Your Vote.
Courage, brothers and sisters.