Friend,

We’re approaching the most consequential election in our lifetimes. And we must ensure people can exercise their constitutional right to vote without putting themselves and their communities at risk of COVID-19.

The best way to keep people safe and maintain our democracy is to give all Americans the option to vote by mail.

While Michigan voters are able to exercise our right to vote by mail in a safe and secure way, that’s not the case across the country. We don’t have time to waste, and we need your voice. Can you join a growing coalition of voters and advocates to call for nationwide vote-by-mail?

Sign the petition: We need immediate, nationwide vote-by-mail.

Unfortunately, the latest coronavirus response bill doesn’t include any money for vote-by-mail, or for other critical health and financial protections like banning water shutoffs or additional direct payments to individuals and families. Congress simply isn’t addressing the full scope of the problem.

So I’ve joined my progressive colleagues in the House in issuing a set of urgent priorities to #PutPeopleFirst in the next coronavirus stimulus bill. One key priority? Guaranteeing nationwide vote-by-mail.

Note: It’s important to maintain access to in-person voting, while encouraging as many people as possible to vote by mail—because eliminating the option to vote in-person could disenfranchise many Black and Native American voters.

However, giving everyone the option to vote by mail would make it easier for most people to vote—on their own schedule, rather than trying to get off work for enough time to wait in line on Election Day. Enabling vote-by-mail expands people’s right to vote, and the ability to participate in our democracy through voting.

Sign our petition: All voters should have access to vote-by-mail!

Because nationwide vote-by-mail would make it easier to vote, Trump has been pushing back on our efforts—despite the fact that he himself voted by mail just last month, in Florida’s primary. He and his Republican colleagues have said they're worried that expanded vote-by-mail access will increase voter turnout… because more people voting could hurt Republicans’ chances of winning.

Trump himself lamented that if vote-by-mail was available to all voters, “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”

While we’ve known the GOP’s motives for suppressing voting rights for generations, they are only now saying it out loud. The right-wing has been suppressing voting rights as a way to hold onto power ever since Black people first got the right to vote in this country.

It’s more important than ever to protect our democracy—and to protect people’s lives. If the pandemic keeps spreading as expected, come November, people crowding into polling places to vote will be in danger of getting and spreading COVID-19.

During Wisconsin’s recent primary, which the state’s right-wing legislature refused to delay, we saw a dangerous cascading effect: Poll workers dropped out due to health concerns, and without the option to vote by mail, people had to gather in crowds in the few polling stations that were open.

That’s why we need to raise our voices and call for immediate action for the rest of the country’s primaries and November’s general election.

Friend, please sign the petition: We need immediate, national vote-by-mail.

In solidarity,
Rashida

P.S. Earlier I mentioned the #PutPeopleFirst agenda for Congress’s next relief package, which I’m supporting along with my progressive colleagues in the House. Tomorrow (Friday) there will be a live town hall: The People First Forum - Demanding the COVID Relief We Deserve, with more information and stories from people on the ground about why we need this agenda. RSVP and share on Facebook.