From the moment they take their oath to support and defend the Constitution, members of our military make a commitment to serve our country  —  often at great personal cost.

But too often, those same veterans face barriers when it comes to making their voices heard in the very democracy they swore to defend:

• In Ohio, county-issued veteran ID cards are no longer allowed as a valid form of identification at the polls.
• A Wisconsin lawmaker sued to temporarily block military ballots from being counted in 2022.
• Long lines to vote can preclude veterans from casting their ballots due to combat-related health issues. For example, Lakeisha, a West Virginia voter who served as an Army combat military police officer, relies on voting early or by mail instead of joining the crowds on Election Day because of PTSD developed from her military service.
• Mass voter eligibility challenges can particularly impact people who’ve experienced homelessness, a group that disproportionately includes veterans — like James, a Georgia voter who served in the Gulf War. He recently spoke with Capital B News about how he successfully defended his eligibility at a hearing so he could vote in this year’s elections, but worries others won’t be able to do the same. 

This Veterans Day, we must recommit ourselves to protecting the right to vote for those who’ve served our country — veterans like Lakeisha and James. At Fair Fight, we will continue pushing back against all forms of voter suppression attempts — including mass challenges — and make sure voters have the resources they need to make their voices heard.

- The Fair Fight Team