Friend –

We're just days away from another crucial election year, and the ACLU is already hard at work pushing back against gerrymandering and unfair maps – a key part in our work to defend democracy in the lead up to the midterm elections.

In a minute, I'll lay out exactly what we're up against in this once-in-a-decade fight. But first, I'm asking you to consider making a year-end gift of $35, $50, or more upfront to the ACLU's 2022 Action Fund. This fund will support our efforts in the year ahead as we fight to protect every civil right currently under threat – including fair voting maps.

Here's why – and where – your support for the ACLU 2022 Action Fund will be crucial:

ACLU Supporter, the new district maps drawn during redistricting determine the allocation of political power and representation at every level of government for the next 10 years. And the people elected to represent us get to set the policies that will affect every issue we care about – abortion access, addressing our broken criminal legal system, inclusive immigration policies, you name it.

We're already seeing highly partisan, highly discriminatory voting maps being approved in states across the country. And that's why we – the ACLU and supporters like you – must fight back.

In the months to come, our team is laser-focused on ensuring maps are fair and equitable. We'll be monitoring state legislatures – the same areas where we've been fighting a wave of anti-civil liberties bills this year. We'll also be building our legal power up in key states in the South – particularly against race-based gerrymandering that aims to minimize the voting power of Black and Brown communities.

The ACLU is going to do everything possible to prevent politicians from taking power away from our communities – in fact, we've already filed legal challenges across the country this redistricting cycle against gerrymandering in Ohio, South Carolina, and, most recently, against the racially gerrymandered maps in Alabama.

But litigation of this kind is complex and resource-intensive. That's why your support right now is going to be more urgent than ever in the fights ahead of us.

And all of this will be going on as we continue other fights across the range of civil liberties in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, including our unrelenting efforts to protect abortion access and defend the LGBTQ rights – particularly the rights of trans youth – against inhumane and unconstitutional laws.

So please, ACLU Supporter, be one of the 52,000 donors we need to support the 2022 Action Fund and help our lawyers and advocates prevent gerrymandering, and protect people's rights and freedoms.

Thanks in advance,

Sophia Lin Lakin
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Deputy Director, Voting Rights Project, ACLU