Friend,

Our nation recently lost an icon, Congressman John Lewis. He was a giant of the civil rights movement, and, with voting rights under attack, it is essential that we carry on his work. That is why I am asking you today to join me in demanding that the Senate restores and extends the Voting Rights Act.

In 1965, Congressman Lewis was nearly beaten to death by Alabama state troopers while fighting for voter rights in Selma. Later that year, the Voting Rights Act was passed, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting. It was a historic and effective piece of legislation designed to protect voting rights for all Americans.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013. In a 5-4 decision, they struck down the main provision: the requirement that states with a history of discrimination seek approval for changes to voting laws by the federal government before those changes go into effect.

Today, we are fighting to restore this vital piece of legislation. Sign our petition now, to demand the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

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This bill would restore the Voting Rights Act by establishing criteria for which states and political subdivisions must obtain approval before changes to voting practices may take effect. It mandates that anywhere with a specific number of voting rights violations within the previous 25 years, such as voter ID laws, closing polling locations, and purging voter rolls, is subject to federal approval for 10 years.

The bill was introduced in February 2019, and passed the House last December. Unsurprisingly, my opponent, John Katko joined many of his Republican colleagues in voting “no” on the passage.

Due, in part, to this vote, fake-moderate John Katko received a deeply failing score on the NAACP Civil Rights Federal Legislative Report card. He is quick to dismiss and belittle the people across our district who are raising “good trouble” as Congressman Lewis urged us to do, and then turns around and speaks in admiration for Congressman Lewis’s legacy. He cannot have it both ways.

John Lewis devoted his life to ensuring everyone has fair access to the ballot and believed in the power of voting. His legacy is about doing what’s right, and that includes passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

This bill is now being held hostage by GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, who is refusing to bring it to a vote. We all need to speak up, so please sign our petition now to demand that he bring it to a vote.

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Thank you,

Dana







Dana Balter is a fearless advocate for central and western New York, running for Congress in the 24th district to ensure that everyone gets a fair shot at success.

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