I used to love voting in person. Something about the civic duty of going to a polling place, waiting in line with your neighbors, and filling in your ballot in a booth, to me, always felt like the quintessential American experience. So when my home state of Washington switched to vote-by-mail in 2005, I have to admit I felt a little cheated out of that pageantry and shared democratic celebration.

Today, though, I can't imagine voting any other way. The mail-in voting system allows me to research an initiative or candidate with my ballot in front of me. It’s also easier than ever to simply turn in my ballot at a drop box. By the time Election Day comes around, my ballot has usually been received and verified by King County already, so I know my vote was counted. It’s such an easy process that I haven’t missed voting in a single election in 16 years.

It should be this easy for every American to vote – but that’s not the reality for millions of people. For many Americans, voting means 10-hour lines like the ones we’ve seen in Georgia, burdensome voter ID laws, limited early voting locations, a cumbersome voter registration process, needlessly confusing vote-by-mail rules – and even more hoops to jump through. To me, this voting experience sounds like a dispatch from a cruel foreign dictatorship.

The worst part is, voter suppression is getting worse in states across the country. Even though there is no legitimate evidence of widespread voting fraud anywhere in the nation, state Republican leaders have responded to the 2020 elections by introducing over 425 bills to suppress voters, especially Black voters and young voters who usually vote Democratic. Make no mistake: the GOP’s aim here is to make these voters wait in lines at a dwindling number of locations and navigate a web of burdensome restrictions to stop them from voting.

Historically, the right to vote has not been easily won in the U.S. Women, Black Americans and virtually everyone in the country who was not a wealthy white male landowner has had to organize, protest, and demand their right to take part in our democracy. And, as the GOP attempts to suppress more voters, that fight is far from over. That’s why Civic Action is joining the fight to strengthen voting rights – and the team and I want to make sure you have everything you need to join us, John:

Will you click here to read my full piece on this topic and learn more on how you can stand up for voting rights?

Thanks for your interest in standing up for what’s right. Together, we have the power to overcome the GOP and save our democracy.

Paul