John,
This is how democracy is stolen. Not in one dramatic moment, but piece by piece, through rules and restrictions designed to keep certain Americans from voting.
Right now, extremists are pressuring the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to impose a nationwide “show-your-papers” rule that would force every voter registration applicant to provide documentary proof of citizenship, like a passport, Real ID license, or military ID.
Roughly 21 million eligible Americans do not have or cannot easily access these documents. Millions of naturalized citizens, students, seniors, low-income Americans, and communities of color would face obstacles so steep that many could be locked out of the democratic process entirely.
The EAC is accepting public comments until October 20. This is our chance to stop them from advancing a policy that could strip millions of their right to vote. We need every single person who cares about democracy to stand up and be counted in this critical moment.
Tell the EAC to reject the “show-your-papers” rule and protect the right to vote for millions of Americans.
Across Republican-run states, racial gerrymandering continues to rig representation by drawing lines that dilute the political power of communities of color. At the same time, courts increasingly side with those in power, making it harder to prove discrimination and harder to undo unfair maps. When you put these strategies together, the intent is clear: silence voices, entrench minority rule, and tilt the playing field for decades.
We know what happens when voting rights are eroded. Voter rolls shrink, polling places close, wait times grow, and entire communities are left unheard. It is the same cynical playbook we have seen throughout American history, designed to preserve the influence of the powerful at the expense of democracy itself.
But we also know the power of collective resistance. In every generation, Americans have fought back against poll taxes, literacy tests, and racial intimidation at the ballot box. This “show-your-papers” rule is just the latest version of the same strategy, and we cannot allow it to succeed.
The EAC cannot side with extremists who want to raise barriers and silence voters. That choice will be shaped by how many of us speak out right now.
Tell the EAC to reject this petition and stop this voter suppression scheme before it becomes law. The deadline is October 20, and the time to act is right now.
Together, we can protect the right to vote.
-DFA AF Team
