LWV members urge President Biden and the Senate to pass the voting rights acts on October 19. (LWVUS)
The fight to get the Freedom to Vote Act passed by the U.S. Senate has been a primary effort on the part of the League of Women Voters. LWVUS President Deborah Turner has stated, “The fight for voting rights is the foundation on which LWV was founded over 100 years ago and, sadly, it continues to be one of our biggest fights.” On October 19, twenty-five voting rights advocates, including LWV CEO Virginia Kase Solomón, were arrested in front of the White House while advocating for President Biden to protect the freedom to vote for all Americans. The League’s “No More Excuses” rallies at the White House will continue until our Congress and President Biden take action to restore and protect our right to vote.
The League organized a panel discussion, Women Power Democracy, with four congresswomen who gave powerful testimony on the importance of staying in the fight to get voting rights enacted into federal law. As they say, the Freedom to Vote Act is critically important for all of us. Their overview of the gerrymandering and other barriers to voting happening in states across our nation obliges us to get involved. They remind us to participate in redistricting (citizen input is ongoing now)—the district maps that emerge from this process will determine our voting opportunities and voting power at the state, county, and local levels.
Please take the time to watch a recording of the Women Power Democracy discussion on YouTube.
The Freedom to Vote Act would:
- facilitate early voting
- expand the right to vote by mail
- protect Americans from voter suppression
Unfortunately, not only a vote but also simple debate on passing this critical voting rights legislation was recently blocked in the Senate. This obstruction threatens free and fair elections and the security of our democracy. Many groups are joining with the League of Women Voters to continue the fight to protect all Americans’ right to vote. With over five hundred voter suppression bills introduced across the country, passing federal voting rights legislation is an absolute priority.
As President Turner stated, “[On October 20,] the Senate failed to vote to move forward with debate on the Freedom to Vote Act. But yesterday’s vote is not the end of the line for this vital bill. In fact, it shows the need for increased pressure on the Senate to break through the gridlock and pass meaningful voting rights legislation to protect the American people.” Read the statement of CEO Virginia Kase Solomón following the Senate vote. As she noted, that vote was “not the end of the line for this vital legislation.” Please continue to make your voice for voting rights heard: Contact the White House to demand that President Biden prioritize voting rights and join the LWV OutreachCircle to get action alerts.
—Dorothy L. Keane, Chair, Communications Committee
