On the 58th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, marchers focused on voting rights. Voting rights have reemerged as a somewhat unexpected political battlefield as Republicans across the country pass new laws placing barriers in front of the ballot box.

Last week, the U.S. House passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act which would restore pre-clearance, a 1965 Voting Rights Act provision requiring states with a history of restricting voting rights to receive pre-approval for changes in election laws...