Five-Year Anniversary of the January 6th Capitol Attack

Five years ago, our nation's capital faced an unprecedented threat to our democracy that will be etched in the memory of our nation forever.  

We all witnessed the insurrection attempt at the Capitol, as anti-democracy forces attempted to circumvent the will of the people and take over the U.S. government.  It is a day none of us will forget. As we set out to watch the wheels of democracy turn, we instead were met with violence, hatred, and a disinformation-fueled attempt to overthrow the election.  This was not how we imagined the next chapter of American history beginning.  And still, it was.

On that day, democracy won. The election was certified and power transferred to the lawfully elected President and Vice President.  But democracy is not guaranteed.

The violent attempt to overturn the 2020 election results was a flagrant disregard of the core components of our democracy — the power of the vote and the peaceful transition of presidential power.  This must not happen again.  

There is more work to be done to defend our democracy. We need Congress to pass federal voting rights legislation to protect our rights, our election officials, and our free and fair elections.    

At the League of Women Voters, we envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate. We have been fighting the good fight for over 100 years and difficult things have never stopped us.  The League remains committed to our mission of empowering voters, defending democracy, and ensuring free and fair elections for all.