? ? ? ? ? Dear friend,

Few of us have forgotten where we were when a violent mob of armed insurrectionists, many of them proudly displaying symbols of white supremacist hate, attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

One year later, LCV remembers that day and honors the heroism of Capitol police and others who protected our national seat of elected government from attackers who sought to overturn the presidential election results. We also recommit to one of the day's enduring lessons: that safeguarding our democracy and the right to vote is an urgent priority and must never be taken for granted.

Unfortunately, the anti-democracy attacks didn't stop on January 6 ? opponents of free and fair elections have since adjusted their tactics to focus on state-level policies. At least 19 states have passed laws that restrict the freedom to vote, undermine fair voting districts, and raise the likelihood of future attempts to sabotage fair elections.
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These attacks on fair elections and voting rights are a national crisis, and they disproportionately seek to suppress and discard votes by people of color and young people who have been historically and systematically excluded from full participation in our democracy.

To ensure that U.S. democracy delivers on its promise to be a government of, by, and for the people ? and to make sure we never experience another January 6th ? our nation has a lot of work to do. This includes passing comprehensive voting rights legislation at the federal level to codify the right to free and fair elections.

As a 50-year old environmental organization with voting and elections at the center of our theory of change, LCV has long understood how essential a free, fair, and equitable democracy is to protecting people and the planet. In the last two decades, LCV and our sister organization, LCV Education Fund, have become leaders among our national peers in democracy and civic engagement, while our 30+ state affiliates have become valued partners in efforts to strengthen voting rights at the state and local levels.

Together, we've helped register 1.5 million voters, won ballot measures on redistricting and automatic voter registration, and worked with election officials to expand voting site access. Our Democracy for All [link removed] program already comprises one of the largest and most dynamic civic engagement efforts in the nation and the largest, most impactful program within the environmental movement.

Yet given the stakes, we need to do much more. That is why this past year, LCV dramatically expanded our democracy work and will continue to do so in 2022 and beyond.
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For the first time, LCV has also elevated strengthening democracy to a standalone goal in our four-year strategic plan ? and a priority on par with addressing climate change. Our plan through 2024 [link removed] will advance pro-democracy reforms, defend against voter suppression, and counter misinformation. We are developing a coordinated 10-year plan with our 30+ state affiliates to pursue this work at all levels by advancing policies that can help close the racial participation gap between communities of color and white voters.

The stakes of this crisis couldn't be higher for our freedom, our future, and the health and safety of our communities. Thank you for being part of this work and for believing that our democracy, like our Earth, is worth protecting.

Onward,

Gene Karpinski
President, League of Conservation Voters

P.S. Later today, LCV and our partners are participating in candlelight vigils at sites across the country. People of different races, places, party affiliations, and backgrounds will be joining peacefully to say: In the United States, the voters decide the outcome of elections. To find an event near you and sign up to attend, click here. [link removed] These events are occurring later today, so we encourage you to click through now to find your event. ? ? ? ? ? This email was sent to [email protected]. If this isn't the best email address at which to reach you, update your contact information [link removed]. Click here to unsubscribe [link removed] from our supporter list. Send us any comments, criticisms, or feedback here mailto:[email protected]?subject=, or just reply to this email! Thanks for your support.

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