Cecile M. Scoon Guest columnist

Those who fought so hard to provide civil and voting rights for all must be turning in their graves as they see these new attempts to thwart our democracy. We cannot allow the hard-fought battles for equality and fairness to be brushed aside as if they never existed.

So, what can one do to help? The bottom line is this: Our democracy depends on the participation of the people. How does one best participate in our democracy? Vote. Vote like your life depends on it. Vote in every election and vote your values.

We are in need of volunteers to stock Voter Registration forms in libraries, post offices, and other sites throughout our LWVDV area, particularly in East Contra Costa County (Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Byron).

In September 2019, the League launched its national redistricting effort People Powered Fair Maps™ (PPFM).

PPFM aimed to create greater transparency, fairness, and public participation in the redistricting process, which determines voting access, partisan representation, and federal funding for communities across the country.