Few people will leave behind a legacy as powerful and consequential as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s, Friend. She fought until her final breath to secure full justice and equality under the law for each and every person in this country — and we must continue the fight with her passion and tenacious spirit as a guide. That starts with mobilizing to respect her dying wish: to not replace her on the Court until a new president is inaugurated.

Mitch McConnell has already vowed to move forward with a Senate confirmation vote before the election — contradicting his words from 2016, when he said that former President Barack Obama’s nominee should not move forward during an election year to "give the people a voice in the filling of this vacancy." We cannot let McConnell’s hypocrisy go unchecked or allow him to rush through a nominee when the election is already underway. Everything is on the line when it comes to who our next Supreme Court justice is, from healthcare coverage to LGBTQIA+ rights to criminal justice, and the people deserve to weigh in on such a significant choice for a lifetime appointment. This is not a moment for complacency — this is a moment for action.

Speak out. Protest. Vote as early as possible, and encourage your family and friends to do the same. And join me in signing this petition calling on Mitch McConnell and Republican senators to wait until after Inauguration Day to vote on a nominee. Every signature will show the strength of our movement to stop this rushed, undemocratic confirmation process.

It’s not only Mitch McConnell who’s spoken out against confirming Supreme Court justices during an election year — several sitting Republican senators, including Susan Collins, Chuck Grassley, and Lindsey Graham, have made similar statements in the past. It’s up to us to hold them to account — they work for the people, and we must keep the pressure on and demand that they and their colleagues give the millions of Americans who have already requested a ballot and started voting the opportunity to choose who nominates the next Supreme Court justice.

Add your name next to mine to call on the Senate to give the people a voice and commit to no Supreme Court confirmation until the inauguration. We need as many signatures as possible to make sure our voices are heard.

Thank you for recognizing the weight of this moment. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg rests in power, we will carry on her fight for justice and equality.

Ilhan Omar