Dear John,
The work we’ve done during my time in Congress, on the campaign trail in Texas, and through Powered by People has always been about making sure that government works for all of us and that all of us have a say in who our government is.
Fair elections, the right to vote, and a fully functioning democracy are critical to any hope we have of coming through the challenges we now face. Whether it is reducing gun violence, confronting climate change, or just making sure that people who work hard and play by the rules can get ahead — it’s going to take a government of, by and for the people to get it done.
And yet, never have fair elections, the right to vote and our democracy been under greater attack. And nowhere more so than in Texas. That’s why the work we do together in Powered by People — registering voters, staying engaged with them in election years and in non-election years, and fighting for voting rights — is so important.
The Texas Legislature begins the 2023 session next week and already dozens of elections bills have been filed. Many of these bills will attempt to further suppress access to the ballot box, especially for communities of color and those who already have a more difficult time voting (e.g. those working more than one job to make ends meet, those with disabilities, those who historically haven’t voted, among others) and it will take vigilance, organizing and action to have any chance of stopping the worst of them.
I wrote a book last year called “We’ve Got to Try” which tells the stories of voting rights champions past and present. What I learned by researching and writing it is that the path to a more inclusive and effective democracy is never easy, it’s never quick, and it relies on the courage, endurance and ACTION of those willing to join the fight. It’s how Lawrence Nixon helped end the White Primary in Texas; how Raymond Telles became the first Mexican American mayor of a major U.S. city; how LBJ was able to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and how Opal Lee made Juneteenth the first federally recognized holiday in decades.
And it’s how we’re going to get our democracy back and ensure that every eligible Texan is able to vote in the elections taking place in our state.
I hope you’ll continue to support our work of voter registration, voter engagement and working for greater voting rights.
Keep the faith and keep up the fight,
Beto
