Advocate, We've already seen COVID-19 wreak havoc on democracy this year. In primary elections all over the country, voters had to wait in lines up to seven hours to vote due to poll closures. They didn't receive their absentee ballots in time. Voting machines did not work — nor were they adequately sanitized.
These barriers to the ballot box are absolutely unacceptable. With the most important election in recent history just months away, this cannot continue.
Today, August 6, marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history.
While we honor the anniversary of this momentous act, one thing remains clear: we still have a lot of work ahead of us. So tell your senators their deadline is today to support free and fair elections.
Since the disastrous Shelby County v. Holder ruling in 2013, the Voting Rights Act has been operating without the preclarence provision — a critical clause that requires jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws — to horrifying effect, particularly for voters of color.
If Senate leadership truly values equal opportunity voting, they will pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and election provisions in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. An additional $3.6 billion in funding is vital for states to hold safe, accessible elections where voters don’t have to choose between their fundamental right to vote and their personal health.
States need funding immediately to ensure that our elections are safe, fair, and accessible to everyone this year.
The only way a democracy can thrive — and survive — is if every voice is heard. Raise yours today.
—The Leadership Conference |
