John,

The violent insurrection on the U.S. Capitol last January 6 was a truly dark day in our country’s history, and it all stemmed from lies and conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election. As a U.S. Army veteran, it’s something I might expect to see in another part of the world — but never here in the United States.

To this day, many Republicans who’ve pledged their loyalty to Donald Trump are continuing to push the Big Lie, insisting (with no evidence) that the presidential election was “rigged” or undermined by election fraud, setting a dangerous precedent for future elections.

Meanwhile, the GOP has been chipping away at our voting rights for years at the state level, including here in Pennsylvania. Remember when former PA House Majority Leader Mike Turzai declared that restrictive voter ID laws were “gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania” back in 2012? And who can forget Republicans’ bogus court cases challenging PA’s election results last year?

Whether it’s passing voter ID laws, purging voter rolls, banning or rolling back same-day voter registration, vote-by-mail, and ballot drop-boxes, the assault on Americans’ most basic right to vote is still being waged. That’s why we need to pass the Freedom to Vote Act ASAP!

The Freedom to Vote Act would strengthen voting rights by making Election Day a federal holiday, establishing same-day voter registration in all 50 states, expanding mail-in voting, and banning partisan gerrymandering.

Let’s come together to stand up for our cherished and constitutional right to free and fair elections. It’s no exaggeration: the fate of our democracy depends on our actions today.

— Ashley