On this week that marks the 53rd anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, The Takeaway looks at what it was meant to do, the state of voting rights across the country, and why so many Americans who are eligible to vote are still kept from doing so. We also hear from a political scientist who has the numbers and the research pointing to reasons so many millions of Americans willingly steer clear of the polls on election day. Later in the hour, we hear from someone who lost their right to vote after a felony conviction and a DACA recipient living in New York City who cannot vote, but she’s hoping people will pledge to do so on her behalf.

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